A recording of today’s call is available here
Following Speaker Paul Ryan’s announcement that the House of Representatives will vote on two immigration-related bills next week, policy experts gathered on a press call today to respond to these developments. A recording of today’s call is available here.
Sanaa Abrar, Policy and Advocacy Manager at United We Dream, said:
Last night, Republican leaders killed yet ANOTHER chance for the Dream Act. Instead, they have created an updated White House plan to hurt immigrant families. This Friday marks the sixth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. DACA was an amazing victory, but instead of building upon it, Republicans are tearing it apart. With Republicans determined to hurt immigrants, all Members of Congress should stop funding the deportation force and state and elected officials should pass policies to keep the deportation agents out.
Anthony Ng, Asian Americans Advancing Justice & Value Our Families, said:
The Goodlatte bill and the proposed leaked bill are the same bad and heartless policy we have seen in the past: at their core is family separation and mass deportation. We call on members of Congress to reject any proposals that cut the ability of families to reunite.
Kerri Talbot, DC Immigration Hub, said:
The Republicans plan to vote on two House bills that are just reincarnations of the failed White House bill, a Stephen Miller wish list that only got 39 votes in the Senate earlier this year. The goal is not to legislate a permanent solution for Dreamers— the White House wants to detain and deport children and families as long and as quickly as possible.
Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, said:
Let’s not forget how we got here. DACA was ended unnecessarily by President Trump. The President blocked multiple efforts at bipartisan compromise. Senate Republicans rejected every attempt at compromise. And the House has done nothing to date. Now, we’re facing votes on two hardcore Republican bills that are two sides of the same coin, with the coin minted by Stephen Miller. It’s now clear the only way Republicans will consider miserly relief for some Dreamers is if the proposal guts legal immigration, turbocharges deportations, builds a wasteful and unnecessary wall, and intensifies the torture of asylum seekers at the border. Any member of Congress who says they stand for Dreamers cannot in good conscience support these bills. Clearly, the only way we’ll have a chance to pass legislation that protects Dreamers without holding them hostage for a long list of nativist poison pills is if Republicans lose their majority in November.
