This Week in Immigration Reform — Week Ending May 5

Week Ending May 5

This week in immigration: NCLR on the first 100 days; May Day we rise up; Texas legislature passes SB 4; and NCLR participated in the New Americans Campaign conference.

NCLR reflects on the first 100 days of the administration: NCLR released a video statement by NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía regarding the first 100 days of the Trump administration and its effects on the Latino community. In the video, Janet highlights the importance of community solidarity throughout the first 100 days and notes that the president’s attitude towards Latinos has been one of continued attacks.

Janet’s take on the first 100 days was also included in a piece in the Kansas City Star.  She notes that the Trump administration has continued to antagonize the Latino community and the president “puts every undocumented immigrant at risk of deportation, even though 97 percent of them pose no threat. And he threatens to force 24 million people to live without health coverage.” The president’s actions in the first 100 days continued a pattern of stirring divisiveness and fear, Janet notes in an op-ed for Univision.

NCLR makes our voice heard on May Day: On Monday, May 1st, thousands of people across the country participated in rallies and marches to rise up in opposition to the administration’s massive expansion of immigration enforcement. NCLR staff participated in a rally and march in Washington, DC along with many NCLR Affiliates in the area. Members of Congress including Reps. Luis Gutierrez (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), and the Democratic leadership including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Whip Steny Hoyer (MD), James Clyburn (SC) and Joe Crowley (NY) participated in a press conference to show support for immigrants.

NCLR urges Texas governor to veto SB4: This week, NCLR sent a letter to Texas Governor Abbott urging him to veto legislation that jeopardizes the civil liberties of millions of Latinos in Texas and recklessly undermines public safety in the state. SB 4 is bad public policy that undermines public trust in law enforcement. On April 18th several Texas law enforcement sheriffs penned a compelling opinion piece asserting a simple truth: locally elected sheriffs know the needs of their communities better than state and national leaders who are currently trying to tie their hands.

NCLR participated in New Americans Campaign Conference: NCLR staff and several NCLR Affiliates were in Chicago last week for a peer to peer conference to share effective practices in assisting eligible permanent residents apply for citizenship. More than 250 people from 133 organizations discussed the ways they are responding to the increasing demand for naturalization application assistance and the tools and resources they are using to meet that need.

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