Issue Position: Achieving Pro-Family Immigration Policy

Issue Position

There is a crisis on our border. It is a true humanitarian crisis. It is not due to a lack of resources, but only to a lack of humanity. It is a deliberate Trump-created crisis--a crisis that has weaponized the love of a mother for a child, weaponized strong family bonds as a way to deter asylum seekers from entering our country, and most recently to misuse wretched conditions for children as a justification for giving Trump a blank check to fund his anti-immigrant policies.

The strong, fortified borders that we most need are strong borders to restrain a president who respects no boundaries on his authoritarian impulses. So, along with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I voted no on the recent weak border spending bill. My vote was and remains: not one more dime for Trump's wretched anti-immigrant policies.

Immigration reform will grow our economy as more individuals start small businesses and more students complete their education. Passing comprehensive immigration reform should have been accomplished years ago, but remains stalled with the Republican hold in Congress and the White House. In addition to blocking progress on the DREAM Act, Republicans have introduced a string of anti-immigrant bills. As a frequent sponsor of the DREAM Act, I believe exemplary young people willing to work hard deserve a chance to succeed in college.

Instead of working toward these solutions, President Trump has spent his energy shutting down the government and declaring a phony emergency to fund his wasteful wall. Call it a wall or a barrier, build it with concrete or steel -- in any name and in any form, I have opposed Trump's wall. I also joined a resolution condemning Trump's declaration of a fake emergency, and I continue to oppose this unjust power grab.

I do agree with Trump that we need a zero-tolerance policy, but the zero-tolerance policy that I support is zero tolerance for bigotry, zero tolerance for anti-immigrant hysteria, and zero tolerance for cruel and inhumane treatment.

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