FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2018

Contact Erin Williams – ewilliams@faithinaction.org, 202-748-0699 

Shame! Congress Fails to Address Separated Immigrant Families Border Crisis and Status of DACA Recipients

Conservative-controlled House Overwhelmingly Loses Vote on Harsh Anti-Immigrant Measure 

WASHINGTON, DC — As immigrant families remain separated from their loved ones and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are still threatened with deportation, the Members of Congress are leaving for a week-long July 4 recess without resolving either of these pressing crises. During the July 27 vote on the horrific, anti-immigrant bill, 121 members voted for the legislation favored by President Trump, while 301 voted against.

“The cruelty of the House to vote on a harsh, anti-family, anti-immigrant bill and not resolve the border crisis and the status of DACA recipients is the worst abdication of legislative authority we have seen in recent history,” said Richard Morales, director of LA RED. “Let’s remember that these crises were politically inspired. Trump ordered the end of DACA for no good reason; he alone decided to end the highly-successful program. More recently, we have listened in horror to audio tapes of children crying out to their parents, and we have seen some photos of the cages and military-style tents where precious children are isolated from their parents.”

“We know there are more than 2,000 children separated from parents and transported to other facilities hundreds of miles away. Yet, the House responds with an ugly scheme designed to increase detention and deportation. We ask again: ‘Is this the America we want to be?’ As members of Congress return to their districts to celebrate America’s freedom, they should be reminded of the civil and humanitarian rights they have stripped from fellow families.”

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