A recording of today’s event is available here
In the midst of yet another busy week in the immigration debate, leading legal and policy experts gathered on a press call today to discuss the latest developments, including the discharge petition, family separation, and raids. A recording of today’s event is available here.
Greisa Martinez, DACA-recipient and Deputy Executive Director, United We Dream, said:
What Trump should do in this moment is call off the dogs and reverse his decisions to end DACA and TPS. And what Congress should do is pass the Dream Act and stop funding the deportation force. The Goodlatte bill, or satisfying Trump’s mass deportation fantasy, is no protection at all and any member of Congress with an ounce of morality should oppose them.
Greg Chen, Director of Government Relations, American Immigration Lawyers Association, said:
It is unacceptable that elements of the White House plan are being considered in the deal for Dreamers. That plan was soundly defeated in the Senate as the most restrictionist bill in decades that would hurl our country back a century to a time when nativism drove immigration laws. No one should entertain cuts to family immigration or the Diversity Visa, or funding the wasteful $25 billion concrete wall. Already the President is building an “invisible wall” denying entry to asylum seekers and separating families fleeing for their lives from rape, torture and death. Our nation will never accept this anti-immigrant approach as a humane solution on immigration consistent with our values.
Jess Morales, Political Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Chair of the “We Belong Together” Campaign, said:
This issue has captured the hearts and the attention of our nation, and voters are paying close attention, because everyone agrees that babies should never be torn from their mothers’ arms and children should never be locked away from their parents. After thousands marched in over 30 cities throughout the country to say #FamiliesBelongTogether, a new wave of people are feeling inspired to take the streets and protest the Administration’s inhumane practice of separating families at the border and in our own communities. Over 3,500 everyday Americans have signed up on familiesbelong.org to rally and march again on June 14th demanding that the Trump Administration stop this cruelty and that Congress acts to keep families together.
