Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members React to Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued statements in response to President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration and the border:

Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20):

"The border wall is a lazy and ineffective security strategy. In fact, recent polls show that 59 percent of the American people disagree with building a wall along our nation's southern border. The wall could cost up to $25 billion to construct – that's American taxpayer money that could be used more effectively elsewhere, like in our schools or on crumbling roads.

"These orders are bad for our economy, for our communities, and for our nation's overall security strategy."

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ):

"This is a terrible and ugly decision by a President who is more concerned with right-wing fringe movements than doing what's right for all of America, for the economy, and for the future of this country. Donald Trump started his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists and murderers, and he is shamefully starting his Presidency by declaring open season on immigrants and refugees, and making taxpayers foot the bill for his nativist impulses. The American immigration system was not broken overnight, and it will not be solved overnight. No one disputes that. But by attempting to fix it through the building of an offensive and divisive wall, ramping up detention, threatening to ban refugees fleeing horrific violence, entangling local law enforcement in immigration matters, and creating deportation forces that will separate families who are part of our communities, President Trump is only cementing his place on the wrong side of common-sense, political realism and our American history. A deportation and enforcement only approach is not the solution. We must not abandon our values and the rule of law that we hold up as an example to other nations."

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04):

"The President should remember that three out of four Latinos are citizens, but when he attacks immigrant families, it reverberates through the nervous system of the entire Latino community. We are banding together with immigrant communities from other parts of the world, with faith and labor and business leaders and with allies from across the political spectrum to stand up to the President's mass deportation plans."

Rep. Linda Sánchez (CA-38):

"America is and always will be a nation of immigrants and refugees. The anti-immigrant executive orders signed today by President Trump run counter to the best values and traditions of our country. This wall is a waste of everyone's time and money, and does not address the fundamental need for comprehensive reform to fix our broken immigration system. If history has taught us anything it is that walls are expensive, unnecessary and people ultimately find ways around them."

Rep. Tony Cardenas (CA-29):

"Trump's actions today are a disgrace to our country. They will not make our country safer. They will tear apart our economy and hurt Americans jobs. Americans will suffer from these baseless policies. He's stoking fear in people's hearts and minds. I've been to the border. I've spoken to Customs and Border Patrol Agents. They've told me they don't need a wall. It doesn't help them do their job. But that doesn't matter to this President. This President cares more about looking good than doing good. He cares more about acting strong than being strong. He cares more about looking effective than making our economy stronger and our country safer. These executive actions are not good for Americans, period. And I'm going to fight them tooth and nail."

Rep. Filemon Vela (TX-34):

"President Trump's executive action is ignorant, short-sighted, and continues to mislead the American people. A border wall would only be a simplistic semblance of a solution for complex regional challenges that can only be addressed through collaboration with our partners in Latin America, not through grandstanding. He still wants the American people to believe that Mexico will pay for an absurd border wall that has been estimated to cost up to $14 billion dollars, but don't let him fool you. It is a great big lie. You will be paying for it, and it won't solve anything."

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40):

"This is a deeply troubling day. With today's executive orders, this president has transformed his anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric into destructive action which is intolerant, fiscally irresponsible, and dangerous. America's strength is that it has always been a nation of immigrants. Demonizing our nation's patriotic and hardworking immigrant population goes against our American values, and will weaken our great country."

Rep. Jose Serrano (NY-15):

"As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will do everything in my power to stop the implementation of these Executive Orders- the budgetary impact of which will undermine important funding priorities in infrastructure, health care, education, and many other areas. I will never support the Trump Administration's efforts to waste billions of taxpayer dollars building a wall of hate that will not be reimbursed by the government of Mexico. We should be spending this money instead on modernizing our infrastructure and investing in the education of future generations- including immigrants. We need to boost our country's competitiveness, not trample down a population that strengthens our nation."

Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32):

"Today's actions by President Trump, while not surprising, are the wrong direction and an attack on our nation, which was built by immigrants. He is proving in his first week that he is not a leader who cares about America's people. Targeting immigrant and refugee communities is not going to solve our problems, and it will hurt our economy. We need policies that embrace our values of acceptance and love of country, not ones that seek to divide us by spreading fear and hate. Our Hispanic Caucus stands united against these anti-immigrant policies, will do everything we can to protect immigrant families, and we will fight to deliver comprehensive immigration reform once and for all."

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-07):

"Mr. Trump's wall plan serves as little more than a political distraction. We've learned time and again that when people build 10-foot walls, others build 11-foot ladders. At the end of the day, this will amount to an ineffectual, expensive boondoggle that costs American taxpayers billions of dollars, does nothing meaningful to address immigration issues and simply serves as a symbol of this Administration's hateful rhetoric.

"Mr. Trump's attack on cities that respect diversity and immigrant communities will also fall short. New Yorkers understand diversity is strength and we are a nation of immigrants. Our City will not be bullied into being accomplices in policies that create fear in immigrant communities.

Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35):

"The Trump administration's executive actions on immigration are an attempt to appease the far right at the expense of our values, security, and economic well-being. Contrary to Trump's claims, these cynical orders will only undermine local law enforcement, waste taxpayer dollars, and strain our relationship with a crucial ally. If the President was truly concerned with addressing illegal immigration and securing the border, he would focus on investments to address root causes, and he would work with Congress to advance bipartisan immigration reform that upholds our values and strengthens our economy."

Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51):

"President Trump has decided to act on his hate by implementing anti-immigrant policies. Today's Executive Orders do not bring us any closer to achieving comprehensive immigration reform, instead, they propose solutions that target, criminalize, and demonize innocent communities. We are a nation of immigrants, and today, President Trump has betrayed our nation's values. We will not stand for this."

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13):

"As a member of Congress, and once an undocumented immigrant, I support common sense immigration reform, and refuse to accept racism and bigotry as a policy solution. I will not fall prey to being bullied and vow to fight and challenge President Trump on any and all anti-immigration policies that will lessen American values and our standing as a beacon of hope and freedom for all."

Rep. Ruben Kihuen (NV-04):

"President Trump's actions today are wrong for immigrant families, wrong for our values, and wrong for our country. Rather than rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and create millions of jobs, President Trump is throwing money down the drain for a wall that will not work. Instead of working to heal, the president is choosing to divide, doubling down on anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.

"Stripping funding from cities like Las Vegas endangers the health and safety of all Nevadans and is a wrong-headed approach to a nuanced issue. Not all undocumented immigrants are ‘rapists' and ‘criminals.' I was once undocumented – now, I'm a member of Congress."

Darren Soto (FL-09):

"Trump's wall will do more to divide our country than protect our border. If we want greater border security, let's fund additional patrol officers. They're more effective and at a fraction of the cost."

Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44):

"From border walls to immigration raids, Donald Trump is taking this country back to the dark ages. This mish-mash of lofty ideas he put on paper is nothing but a reality show attempt to fool people into believing that he's delivering on his campaign promises. But the reality is that our country will be left holding the bag for this thoughtless project. We should approach immigration laws in a fair and humane way, consistent with our values as Americans."

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15):

"If President Trump is serious about securing our border, he should work with Members of Congress to develop smart and effective plans to do so. His plan to build a wall is neither smart nor effective. In fact, it reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of the issues facing communities on the U.S.-Mexico border and the security measures already in place. We have technology and manpower capable of surveilling and protecting our borders – let's continue to invest in that, not in an antiquated, expensive, and ineffective border wall, which is an insult to our friend and neighbor to the south, Mexico."

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.