NILC Statement on Passage of Senate Tax Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2017

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Juan Gastelum, 213-375-3149
Hayley Burgess, 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on Passage of Senate Tax Bill

WASHINGTON — Early this morning, Republicans in the U.S. Senate passed a massive tax overhaul, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that will harm the majority of Americans and benefit corporations and the wealthy.

The Senate tax bill provides $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, to be paid for by low- and middle-income families and children, a large number of them immigrants. Among many harmful provisions, the bill eliminates the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for immigrant children. It also repeals the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) “individual mandate,” a key provision of the ACA that has made health insurance generally more affordable.

Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement:

“Today will be remembered as a shameful day in American history. In a cowardly move, Republican senators rushed to pass a tax bill that will cause a tremendous amount of pain for Americans from coast to coast, including many of President Trump’s supporters. Today’s children, workers, and students will be especially hard hit, as will future generations that will be stuck with the consequences of this fiscally irresponsible and morally indefensible measure. The Senate has essentially robbed tens of millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet. For so many, this bill effectively hikes taxes on those who can least afford to lose more money and could make health care unaffordable for these same people.

“Immigrant families have been especially hard hit: the bill eliminates the Child Tax Credit for immigrant children, a move that is cruel and short-sighted. Republicans in the Senate have voted to harm immigrant children and families to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

“This bill, loaded with holiday treats for the rich and massive corporations and their insatiable greed, delivers nothing more than economic insecurity and greater income inequality for the rest of us. Our lawmakers should be working to make sure all our communities are healthy and thriving, not just the ultra-rich. The halls of Congress failed their constituents early this morning, and voters should not forget it.”

###