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WASHINGTON — Seventy-eight House Democrats and Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) led by Chairman Joaquin Castro are asking the House and Senate Leadership to enact an emergency supplemental funding bill further responding to the COVID-19 pandemic before the end of July, including sufficient funding for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to continue its important mission and avoid crippling furloughs and appropriate parameters to improve the agency's operations. In the letter to Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell and Leader McCarthy, Members of Congress laid out necessary guardrails to ensure responsibility and accountability from USCIS in the future.

WASHINGTON — Eighty House Democrats and Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) led by Chairman Joaquin Castro are demanding the Trump administration safely and swiftly release all parents and children that are in immigration family detention centers by July 17. While there is ongoing litigation, the Trump Administration currently has the authority to release families from ICE detention together independently from any court orders. In a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Wolf and Acting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Albence, the Members of Congress denounced the Trump administration's use of the pandemic to implement cruel and inhumane policies toward immigrants, and urged ICE to seek alternatives to family detention and commit to a permanent policy of family unity.

Washington, D.C. — Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—composed of Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27)—sent a letter to Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Schumer urging the U.S. Senate to include H.R. 7027, the Child Care is Essential Act, and H.R. 7327, the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act, in the next coronavirus recovery package.

Washington, D.C. — Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—composed of Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27)—sent a letter to Congressional Leadership requesting that any educational funding provided by Congress in response to COVID-19 is combined with strong equity guardrails that will safeguard low-income students of color from their state's fiscal challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As low-income families continue to face job losses and poverty, we must come together to protect these vulnerable students, otherwise it will significantly impact the academic achievement and chances of success for students of color.

Washington, D.C. — Today members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Chairman Joaquin Castro met with Vice President Biden to discuss issues of importance to the Latino community including the coronavirus crisis, record unemployment, and immigration reform. Chairman Castro (TX-20) released the following statement after the productive conversation:

"Today members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus had a productive conversation with Vice President Biden on the most pressing challenges confronting the Latino community, particularly health care and immigration reform, said Chairman Joaquin Castro, Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

WASHINGTON — Two dozen members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) led by Chairman Joaquin Castro are requesting a virtual meeting with the chief executive offcers of CoreCivic and GEO Group, the largest operators of private detention facilities.

"We have seen the number of coronavirus cases in ICE detention exponentially increase every week and multiple outbreaks have been reported in detention facilities," the Members wrote. "Since both CoreCivic and GEO Group are ICE's top operators of detention centers, we would like to request a virtual meeting with you and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Members at your earliest availability."

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), LULAC National President, Domingo Garcia, and LULAC National CEO will be meeting with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to demand that the Army support the call for the Defense Department Inspector General's Office to conduct a full and independent investigation into Fort Hood's handling of Vanessa Guillen's case. In addition, other cases of Latino soldiers who have reported sexual harassment and/or been victims of still unresolved homicides and other abuses are being presented to the Army.

Congresswoman Garcia and LULAC leadership will be hosting a press conference after their meeting with Army Secretary McCarthy.

Details for the press conference can be found below:

WHO: U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX)

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) led a letter with 87 Members of Congress in support of Rep. Speier and Sen. Gillibrand's request for Sean O'Donnell, the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General, to conduct an independent investigation into Fort Hood's handling of Specialist (SPC) Vanessa Guillen's case. Rep. Speier serves as Chair of the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee and Senator Gillibrand is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Personnel of the Senate Armed Services Committee.