Proposed House Immigration Legislation is Bad for America

Immigration Policies Should Protect Dreamers and Preserve Families

Washington, DC - The League of Women Voters urges the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose HR. 4760, the Securing America’s Future Act of 2018, and the Ryan compromise legislation that is scheduled to be considered this week. The League sent a memo to the U.S. House urging Representatives to vote NO on the two proposed immigration bills. The League of Women Voters president Chris Carson issued the following statement:

“The current practice of separating families at our borders violates our human rights and moral responsibilities. As a country of immigrants, we are made stronger by our diversity.

“The League believes that we should have reasonable protections in place at our borders. However, those protections should not include detention centers where young people are held after forcibly being separated from their parents. It is the in the American moral fiber and responsibilities of this country that Congress act to swiftly end the practice of separating families at our U.S. borders. We must treat those wishing to come to this country with dignity and resist the urge to militarize the border, criminalize immigrants, or threaten the right of due process for all persons.

“Yet again, the House is missing another opportunity to pass the bipartisan Dream Act in favor of highly partisan measures. Congress continues to put hundreds of thousands of young immigrants at risk by holding them hostage in order to move legislation forward that dismantles our immigration system. It should be a priority to protect the hundreds of thousands of dreamers who pay taxes, contribute to social security, and who are Americans in everything but name. By allowing a vote on two politically motivated pieces of legislation, the U.S. House is proving once again that they are standing in the way of finding a solution to protect young immigrant people.

“Standing with Dreamers means standing with the children who are being ripped from their parents’ arms and put in detention. It means standing against increased enforcement aimed at criminalizing immigrants. It means being proactive in seeking oversight of rogue DHS agencies, and looking for solutions that protect our families.

 “The League of Women Voters urges members of Congress to vote NO on the Goodlatte bill and NO on the Ryan compromise.”

Contact: Sarah Courtney | 202-263-1332 | [email protected]