MEDIA ADVISORY: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leads Member Delegation to Investigate the Impacts of President Trump’s Remain in Mexico Policy
WASHINGTON — On Friday, January 17, 2020, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34) will lead a Congressional delegation to Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico to investigate the impacts of the Trump Administration’s Remain in Mexico policy and the use of tent court facilities to adjudicate Remain in Mexico asylum cases.
This delegation trip marks approximately one year since the Remain in Mexico policy was implemented on January 25, 2019. The Remain in Mexico policy has turned away approximately 60,000 migrants. Thousands of families are being forced to wait in dangerous border towns in Mexico as they go through the asylum process, which can take months.
Members will cross the border to visit asylum-seekers in Matamoros, which has the largest tent camp of its kind on the US-Mexico border. Afterwards, the delegation will tour the tent court facilities in Brownsville, Texas. The tent court facilities have been shrouded in secrecy and there have been multiple reports of due process violations.
Following the tour of the tent court, the members will brief the press on their impressions from their visit to the tent court and discussions with families under the Remain in Mexico policy.
WHO:
Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Congressman Ben Ray Luján (NM-03), Assistant Speaker
Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Second-Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Immigration Task Force Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32)
Congressman Pete Aguilar (CA-31)
Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35)
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04)
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Congressman Brendan Boyle (PA-02)
Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20)
Congressman Ed Case (HI-01)
*please note other Members may be added
WHEN:
Friday, January 17, 2020
Press Conference will begin at approximately 12:00 PM CT
WHERE:
Xeriscape Park, Brownsville, Texas 78520
RSVP:
Please RSVP to elena.pino@mail.house.gov. The press conference will also be live streamed here: https://www.facebook.com/congressional.hispanic.caucus/
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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.