Immigration and Border Issues
The Immigration and Border Issues Task Force provides a national voice and leadership with regard to immigration and border issues, both within the halls of Congress and on behalf of diverse communities across the United States.
Members:
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, Co-Chair
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, Co-Chair
Rep. Joaquin Castro
Rep. Juan Vargas
Rep. Filemon Vela
Senator Robert Menendez
More on Immigration and Border Issues
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."
Washington, DC – Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement following two separate federal court orders regarding DACA and family separation.
"Today, we saw two federal judges call out the Trump Administration for its cruel policies that have targeted Dreamers and resulted in the separation of families. I am heartened to see the federal courts uphold the law and protect immigrant and Hispanic families from the Trump Administration's unlawful policies.
Washington, DC – Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement following a federal judge's decision to appoint a special monitor to oversee conditions for detained migrant children:
"U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee's decision to appoint an independent monitor is a step in the right direction in holding the government accountable and ensuring detention facilities and shelters are as safe as possible. An independent monitor's oversight will provide unbiased reports on how children are being treated in detention facilities along the southern border and reassure the American public that the government is meeting its responsibilities.
Washington, DC – Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement following the Trump Administration's inability to reunite all separated families by the court-ordered deadline.
Washington D.C. – Today, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations is marking up the Homeland Security Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019, which includes provisions to fund $5 billion for Donald Trump's border wall, and also provides funding for 400 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and an unprecedented number of immigration detention beds. Ahead of the mark up, the Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs – composed of Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu (CA-27), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Cedric Richmond (LA-02) – sent letters to House Appropriations Committee Members urging appropriators to reject the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda.
WASHINGTON—Today, Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) sent a letter requesting a meeting with Department of Justice Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the "zero-tolerance" immigration policy that seeks to prosecute all immigrants who cross the border.
Washington, DC – Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) issued the following statement after a historic protest vote on House Resolution 990, during which a majority of members voted "present" and rejected a non-binding and politically-driven resolution concerning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"The need for ICE to fulfill its necessary and legitimate responsibilities to combat human traffickers, cybercrimes, child exploitation, money laundering, firearms smuggling and terrorist threats is not in question, but today's vote was another missed opportunity to provide real solutions to the cruel crisis that President Trump created by separating thousands of families at the border, hold ICE accountable or strengthen our border and national security."
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