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
April 18, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee marked up and passed H.R. 2 – the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 – commonly known as the Farm Bill. This version of the Farm Bill makes dramatic changes and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. SNAP is a temporary program that helps Americans struggling with food insecurity and poverty provide their children and families the sustenance they need to be healthy. SNAP is a powerful anti-poverty program for Hispanic families and Americans in both urban and rural communities across the country.
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April 18, 2018
Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Jeff Denham (R-CA), Will Hurd (R-TX) and Lujan Grisham (D-NM) announced that their bipartisan "queen-of-the-hill" rule to allow a floor debate on four DACA solution measures now has the support of 50 Republicans and 190 Democrats for a total of 240 cosponsors, easily surpassing the 218 votes needed to pass the measure through the House. The rule would force a debate and floor vote on Rep. Goodlatte's Securing America's Future Act, the clean Dream Act, a bill offered by Speaker Ryan, and the bipartisan USA Act, a bill introduced by Reps. Aguilar, Denham, Hurd and Lujan Grisham earlier this year.
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April 17, 2018
Washington D.C. – The Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs – composed of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu (CA-27), and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Cedric Richmond (LA-02) – sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Trey Gowdy urging him to hold a hearing and open an investigation of U.S.
April 10, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) released the following statement in reaction to a Trump administration memo ordering the end to ‘catch and release' at the border:
"Trump's directive to "end" ‘catch and release' is contrary to international and humanitarian law and will result in the cruel separation of families and prosecution of vulnerable asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution.
April 4, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) released the following statement in reaction to the Trump Administration announcement to deploy National Guard troops at the U.S.-Mexico border:
"Trump's purely political and unwarranted decision to deploy troops to the U.S.-Mexico border will go down as a grossly inefficient use of critical resources and will ultimately undermine our military's readiness.
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April 2, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump posted a series of tweets on immigration:
"President Trump's claim that everyone but him is responsible for the lack of a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers is completely absurd and a lie. In truth, Trump terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and rejected numerous bipartisan proposals to solve the crisis he created.
"Instead of working productively to find a bipartisan solution for Dreamers, the President is attempting to rewrite history with a dangerous, anti-immigrant gaslighting campaign aimed at confusing the American people, slandering the DACA program, and disparaging asylum seekers.
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March 29, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced it would end the policy of presumption of release for all pregnant women they apprehend:
"ICE's policy change toward pregnant women is inhumane and will expose these women to potential harm and undoubtedly lead to more miscarriages and pregnancy complications. This reprehensible policy change follows a disturbing and growing trend by the Trump Administration to detain pregnant women, which has already led to alarming reports of miscarriages in immigration detention due to CBP and ICE's inadequate medical care.
"Many of these vulnerable pregnant women are escaping gang-related violence and sexual abuse.
March 28, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led by U.S. Representative Jim Costa, sent a letter to the Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Thomas Homan calling for the prioritization of ICE's limited resources on more strategic and effective law enforcement measures that target public safety threats.
"Prioritizing I-9 audits diverts ICE resources from other critical enforcement priorities. Under this new policy, ICE will send armed agents to businesses around the country to search for employment paperwork irregularities rather than enlisting these agents to track down human traffickers, investigate terrorists, or apprehend members of transnational criminal organizations.
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March 27, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham released the following statement after the Commerce Department announced that a new question on citizenship would be added to the 2020 Census:
"An accurate census is critical to our nation. And the political decision to add an untested and damaging question about citizenship to the 2020 Census at the 11th hour will suppress participation.
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March 22, 2018
Washington, D.C. - The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) urges all Members to oppose the FY 2018 omnibus:
The CHC cannot support this spending bill as it would fund Trump's border wall and mass deportation force. It is indefensible for Congress to pass a spending bill that not only leaves Dreamers without permanent protections but also funds their deportations and those of immigrants with deep ties to their communities. Furthermore, this bill does not enact bipartisan measures to stabilize our health care system, fix our broken pension system, or adequately address gun violence.