America’s Voice Responds to Tonight’s House Votes
Following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, in response to tonight’s votes on immigration and child refugee issues in the U.S. House of Representatives:
How pathetic. With today’s votes, the House Republicans have completed their lurch to the far right on immigration. They have approved a package that would send Central American children who are fleeing murder and rape back to the violence they escaped. It would gut the popular DACA program that protects Dreamers who are American in all but paperwork. It would prohibit the President from taking much-needed executive action. It would even deny work authorization to battered immigrant women who flee abusers.
Fortunately, this is little more than a message bill that will never make it into law. What it will do is permanently stain the GOP’s reputation. Say goodbye to the GOP that wanted to get right on immigration reform and with Latinos following the 2012 election. Say hello to the GOP where Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA) define the Party’s immigration views. What are the implications? For one, the President will have to step up and lead – on both the Central American child refugee emergency, and on the use of executive authority to protect undocumented immigrants. For another, today’s votes should be seen as a dress rehearsal for what we can expect in the GOP presidential race in 2016 – a race to the right followed by a stunning loss in the general election.
