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SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), issued the following statement after the first reported coronavirus-related death in immigration custody.
"CHC Members send our condolences to the family and loved ones of the person who had tested positive for COVID-19 and later died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being hospitalized from Otay Mesa Detention Center in California. While ICE has yet to confirm the death and all the details are still pending, it's nevertheless evident that this tragedy is exactly what lawmakers, doctors and public health experts have been working to avoid.
WASHINGTON—Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Chairman Joaquin Castro sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Azar and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Wolf urging the Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) follow the federal legal and policy requirements to ensure the health and safety of unaccompanied migrant children amid pandemic and to swiftly and safely place children in sponsor homes. Unaccompanied migrant children in US custody face a heightened risk during the global COVID-19 crisis.
WASHINGTON — Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Chairman Joaquin Castro sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Azar and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Verma urging them to use funding from the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act to support Puerto Rico's health care infrastructure during this unprecedented pandemic.
WASHINGTON — Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Rep. Darren Soto sent a letter to Secretary Mnuchin of the Department of the Treasury and Administrator Carranza of the Small Business Administration urging that affiliation rules not be changed to allow large private equity firms to gain access to CARES Act funding intended for small businesses. This action is in response to possible attempts by large private equity firms to find and exploit loopholes in the CARES Act and subsequent legislation.
SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), issued the following statement in recognition of Cinco de Mayo:
"Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the first Battle of Puebla — the victory of the Mexican army over the French on May 5, 1862 in State of Puebla, Mexico. This is an opportunity not only to celebrate Mexican culture, but also remember the generations of immigrants from Mexico that enrich our economy, democracy, and American society.
SAN ANTONIO—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), issued the following statement in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month:
"Every May we recognize Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to celebrate the achievements of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. This month was selected because it commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the U.S. on May 7, 1843 and also on May 10, 1869 the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, which was primarily built by Chinese immigrant labor. Generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed to our nation's progress by starting new businesses, creating beautiful art, advancing scientific discovery, and much more.
WASHINGTON—Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to urge them to defend Medicaid against efforts to weaken "maintenance of effort" (MOE) protections during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The federal Medicaid MOE protections in the Families First Act prevent states from making it harder for people to qualify for Medicaid and from terminating people's coverage during the public health emergency," the Members wrote. "We write to express our strong opposition to efforts underway to weaken these protections, which would endanger coverage and access to care for millions of Hispanic and Black beneficiaries in states that would likely act to restrict Medicaid eligibility."
WASHINGTON— On Friday, May 1st, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Chairman Joaquin Castro will convene a press call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, mixed-status family members, and an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) to discuss the importance of ensuring that all American households in financial need, including those with family members of mixed immigration status, receive COVID-19 stimulus aid.
WASHINGTON—Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro and 18 members sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Perdue, Health and Human Services Secretary Azar, and Department of Labor Secretary Scalia calling for an investigation of working conditions in meatpacking facilities during the COVID-19 crisis and emergency standards to protect meatpacking workers.
WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) and the Congressional Tri-Caucus – which represents over half of the Democratic Caucus and includes the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) – introduced a landmark bill to close health disparities in the United States, entitled the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020. This legislation is supported by more than 200 community and advocacy organizations in the United States.