Immigration and Border Issues

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led members of the Hispanic Caucus in asking Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen about the conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas that led to the death of 18 month-old Mariee.

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Democratic Whip Steny H.

Washington, D.C. -Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement celebrating Labor Day and the invaluable contributions hardworking immigrant families have made to the United States:

"Today, we celebrate hardworking families whose grit and ingenuity have helped build this country. For generations, Hispanic and immigrant families have tirelessly labored in factories, offices, fields and small businesses and as a result, have left a notable mark on history by helping build this country and its economy.

"Despite immigrant families' invaluable contributions, we continue to see the Trump Administration attack these families by ending programs like DACA and TPS, which have allowed many to open small businesses and find productive ways to contribute to their communities.

Washington, D.C. -Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement after U.S. District Court Judge Hanen declined to issue a preliminary injunction in the Texas lawsuit to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program:

"Today's ruling simply continues the uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients, which began as a result of Trump's reckless decision to end the program and Congressional Republicans' refusal to join us in working toward a permanent and bipartisan solution.

Washington, D.C. - Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led by Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), Representative Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Representative Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer inviting him to meet with the CHC and discuss the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), recent tariffs, and their effects on the business owners, families, farmers, and workers we proudly represent, as well as future plans for free trade agreements.

"Like you, we are committed to developing and supporting policies that will best promote American prosperity and leadership on the international stage. However, we are concerned that current policies neither reflect nor achieve these shared aspirations for our fellow Americans, particularly for Hispanics," the Members wrote.

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) released the following statement on the 6 year anniversary of the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by the Obama administration.

"On the sixth anniversary of DACA, we celebrate the Dreamers who serve in our military, educate our children, work as doctors and nurses to keep us healthy, and help our economy innovate and thrive as business owners and entrepreneurs. Their commitment to the prosperity of our nation is why a majority of Americans support protecting DACA recipients and providing them with a permanent legislative path to citizenship.

Washington, D.C. – Today, Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) led by Congressman Darren Soto, Chair of the CHC Taskforce on Voting and Civil Rights, sent a letter to the Department of Commerce expressing strong opposition to the addition of the citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Today's letter was submitted as part of the Department of the Commerce's U.S. Census Bureau public comment period, which ends August 7, 2018.

Washington, D.C. – Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the leadership of the CHC sent a letter to the Ambassador of Mexico Gerónimo Gutiérrez requesting information on the treatment of asylum seekers that are currently residing in Mexico, including asylum seekers that have been turned away at a U.S. port of entry by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.

Members wrote in the letter, "While asylum seekers wait to cross the border, they may encounter Mexican officials. For example, the Houston Chronicle recently wrote about a family from Honduras who, after being turned away by CBP, were detained by Mexican authorities for a week." They added, "Given the continued strife in the Northern Triangle region, it follows that individuals traveling through Mexico to seek refuge in the U.S. will not slow."