UnidosUS Denounces House Action on the Secure the Border Act

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WASHINGTON, DC— UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía issued the following statement in response to H.R. 2:

“We are outraged that today the House of Representatives voted to pass the extremist and anti-immigrant so-called ‘Secure the Border Act 2023.’ The bill would also hurt the economy, do nothing to address our outdated immigration system or resolve the status of DACA recipients or other undocumented people with deep roots in the United States. If this bill ever became law, it would cause further chaos on our southern border by cracking down on asylum seekers, children and families—vulnerable immigrants who are not threats to our country.

“Latinos, like all Americans, expect our government to effectively manage our borders and thoroughly vet those who seek to enter as refugees, to join family already in the country or to work. Our community believes in border security and does not support open borders. But we also do not tolerate putting children in danger, separating or detaining families or making people suffer due to policies where cruelty is the point. We want a functioning immigration system that is humane, efficient and secure. H.R. 2 not only fails to meet these expectations on all fronts, but it would in fact make things far, far worse.

“Thankfully, H.R. 2 is so dangerous that it is not likely to pass the Senate. Still, we condemn using people in danger for political purposes and equating humanitarian migration with criminal and national security threats. We call on Congress to reject this bill and instead work to modernize our immigration system by fostering cooperation among nations in the region to protect refugees, strengthening our border and asylum management, creating legal pathways for those coming to the United States to work or join family and legalizing the 11 million undocumented with deep family and economic roots in the United States.”

 

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