The following is a statement from Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America’s Voice Education Fund, reacting to the array of extreme immigration, border, and refugee-focused executive orders set to be announced by President Trump today and tomorrow.
“This week Trump begins his planned assault on immigrants, refugees, and religious freedom. He’ll take steps to launch his mass deportation force, wall off our country both literally and figuratively, turn our backs on refugees fleeing persecution and violence, and ban many Muslims from legal entry into the United States.
Trump is making radical, foundational changes to domestic and international policy by executive edict, acting more like a monarch than a President. His plans are pulled directly from the nativists’ wish lists, making it clear that the bigotry and racism that drove his campaign are alive and well in his Administration.
By tripling the number of ICE agents, Trump is creating the mass deportation force he promised as a candidate, despite assurances made by Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans that there would be no such thing. There’s no way around it: Trump is declaring open season on immigrants, refugees, Latino families, and other people of color in America.
By walling off the country from refugees and banning many Muslims from entering legally, Trump is not only undermining our values as a nation but sending a hateful message that will have dangerous consequences. His policies will give fodder to anti-American extremists across the globe and encourage vigilantes at home to harm their neighbors.
This is not America. This is now who we are and what we stand for. We will fight this agenda through every means possible because this country can and must do better.”
