tags: Press Releases

Recap: Immigration and Refugee Policy Experts Assess Details and Implications of Harmful First Week of Trump Administration

Share This:

Washington, DC On a virtual press event held today, leading experts on immigration and refugee policy and law gathered to discuss the details, implications, and scope of the harmful array of newly signed executive orders and announcements in the first week of the Trump administration. Today’s event was the first in a series of planned Friday press events from America’s Voice – “Beyond the Immigration Headlines” to discuss the latest immigration news and implications. Learn more by reaching out to press@americasvoice.org 

Nayna Gupta, Policy Director, American Immigration Council, highlighted the scope and implications of the Trump policy announcements this week, noting: “Trump is attempting to make sweeping changes to the U.S. immigration system by invoking unprecedented powers and putting into motion policies that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars, create confusion and instability in our immigration system, instill fear in communities nationwide, and do nothing to solve the problems of our broken immigration system.”

Stephanie Gee, Senior Director of U.S. Legal Services at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), discussed the details and significance of the refugee suspension executive order, noting: “One of our clients already had his bags packed when he learned his flight was canceled – after over a decade of waiting for his case to finish processing, he is now indefinitely stranded away from his close relatives, who were resettled to the U.S. before him. We know from the Trump administration’s previous refugee ban that even a temporary suspension will result in lasting harm for refugees and their families. But in addition to our firsthand experience contending with the needlessly cruel and dehumanizing Muslim and refugee bans eight years ago, IRAP also learned from that experience that Americans support refugees and show up for their neighbors when their rights are threatened.”

Karen Tumlin, Director of the Justice Action Center, discussed the litigation landscape with a particular focus on the Trump attacks on birthright citizenship. She noted: “Trump’s Executive Order on birthright citizenship is unconstitutional and that is why at least six lawsuits challenging the orders have already been filed so far. There is no legal controversy here. The point of the order was to terrorize immigrant communities and make it clear that immigrants are not welcome here, at least in the eyes of the Trump Administration. Attacks on immigrants harm the entire community and cause widespread fear. President Trump wants us to be afraid, but my clients have taught me time and time again that bravery comes from all corners and it is infectious.”

Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice served as moderator and noted, “Costly, cruel, and chaotic are the words that characterize the wave of extreme policies that the Trump Administration has unleashed in its effort to purge immigrants from our country. The cost is huge; the cruelty is profound; and the chaos and fear is the point. These elements are central to Trump’s anarchic approach.”

Resources