FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2018
CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Juan Gastelum, 213-375-3149
Hayley Burgess, 202-384-1279
Rounds-King Immigration Proposal Would Harm More Than Help Our Communities
WASHINGTON — During an ongoing immigration debate, senators in Washington will consider an amendment that would provide a fix for Dreamers, but in exchange punish their parents, undermine due process in immigration courts, provide exorbitant funding to further militarize the U.S.-Mexico border, and create a damaging precedent that would pave the way toward criminalizing immigrant communities and families.
Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement:
“President Trump created a crisis when he ended DACA, and he has perpetuated it at every turn with his equivocating and destructive actions and comments — even as recently as this morning. As we’ve said all along, we need Congress to enact a narrowly tailored solution to secure the future of immigrant youth, without putting families at risk or bending to whims of anti-immigrant extremists. This proposal, while a good faith effort on the parts of many to come to a compromise that works, unfortunately falls short.
“The legalization provisions in this proposal are a true testament to relentless organizing, advocacy, and power built up by immigrant youth and allies over years. That they are a result of a bipartisan negotiation is truly remarkable and a reason to be hopeful that we can find a permanent solution for Dreamers.
“However, on balance, this proposal is outside the bounds of what is acceptable. It would inject billions of dollars into a nonsensical border wall and increase the number of border agents without much-needed responsibility or oversight for agents emboldened since Trump’s election. Moreover, it doesn’t begin to address the real needs of border communities. It would fundamentally alter key parts of our immigration system, harm immigrant families for generations, and leave us with a damaging precedent to fight against for years to come.
“After 16 years of advocating for a solution for immigrant youth, we will not give up now. We continue to believe in the urgency of a legislative solution, which is why we support the carefully crafted bipartisan USA Act introduced by Senators Coons and McCain. We will continue to fight on every front to ensure that immigrant youth have a secure future in this country.”
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