National Immigration Law Center Reacts to News that Speaker Boehner Will Step Down

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2015

CONTACT
Gebe Martinez, [email protected]

National Immigration Law Center Reacts to News that Speaker Boehner Will Step Down

WASHINGTON — Speaker John Boehner announced on Friday that he will resign from the speakership and give up his congressional seat at the end of October. The following is a statement by Marielena Hincapié, executive director of National Immigration Law Center:

“Speaker Boehner’s resignation is the culmination of the strife within his party over how to be less caring of immigrants, of women, working families, of the poor, and of those most in need.

“Yesterday, Pope Francis urged Congress to legislate in a just and humane manner. Today, we unfortunately are witnessing the political reality under a conservative-controlled Congress.

“Looking back, it is truly a shame that Speaker Boehner was unable to lead the House to a floor vote on the 2013 Senate-passed immigration reform bill, S. 744, which had support of the House majority but was blocked by conservatives. The result is a leadership crisis on Capitol Hill.

“The immigrants’ rights community will be watching the legislative process very carefully, particularly in coming weeks, as Congress negotiates legislation to continue funding the government. Those bills are where attacks against immigrants and the poor are often slipped in. We urge the next Speaker to be prepared to legislate and not continue to allow Congress and the nation to be held hostage by a small minority of extreme conservatives that are out of touch with what is in the country’s best interests.”

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