(Washington)—On the federal holiday to commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., it is a travesty for our country that President Trump has shown on his first day in office that he will continue to sow division and hatred rather than follow MLK’s example of unity and peace.
“On Day one of his administration Trump’s comments show his eagerness to target immigrant communities, vowing to end asylum rights and give more power to law enforcement agencies, especially at the southern border,” said Sameera Hafiz, Policy Director with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. “This administration’s insistence on scapegoating immigrants will continue to create a huge divide in our country. It is unconscionable.”
“Trump has falsely convinced the American people that deportations and harsh immigration enforcement will make us safer - this is far from the truth,” Hafiz said. “Deportations destabilize families and tear communities apart. Deportation is painful and cruel and all of us, even those who support Trump may find themselves or their family members/friends/community members swept up in these efforts.”
“Trump wants to hold the entire country hostage to his anti-immigrant agenda by forcing states and localities to help his administration conduct immigration enforcement,” Hafiz added.
“This is just a drop in the bucket of Trump’s hateful anti-immigrant agenda. The ILRC, along with our partners and advocates, will not sit on the sidelines,” Hafiz said. “We are united in our efforts to combat what will no doubt be an onslaught of hateful and racist policies and laws toward immigrants.”
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities. Follow us at www.ilrc.org, and on Twitter and Instagram @the_ILRC