Contact:
Brandon Lee
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
773-271-0899 x200
blee@advancingjustice-chicago.org
Congress Legislated Hate
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns Passage of Anti-immigrant Legislation
CHICAGO — Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills (HR 3003 and HR 3004) that would undermine the public safety of all Americans and further the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant agenda by criminalizing immigrant communities.
HR 3003 seeks to authorize the Federal Government to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding from localities with community trust policies that limit responses to unconstitutional ICE detainer requests. HR 3004 would expand the Federal Government’s ability to prosecute people for illegal reentry into the U.S., excludes humanitarian exemptions for people fleeing violence, and heightens penalties in those cases.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a national affiliation of five civil rights organizations, issues the following statement in response:
“We condemn the House of Representative’s vote to pass HR 3003 and HR 3004 amidst strong concerns from immigrant communities, law enforcement, elected officials, and many others. The two bills are clearly motivated by the administration’s anti-immigrant agenda and cause considerable harm by eroding the trust between local law enforcement and communities of color, including immigrant communities. We are further disturbed by the inflammatory floor debate in which some supporters of the bills sought to incite fear and to denigrate the dignity and contributions of immigrants.
We conde
mn this inhumane action by members of the House of Representatives and urge the U.S. Senate to vote “No” on these dangerous pieces of legislation, which would cause considerable harm. In order to truly reform our outdated immigration system, we must not come from a lens of scapegoating immigrant communities who have helped shaped this nation, but rather acknowledge their vital role in our country.”
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