WASHINGTON, D.C.–People’s Action released the following statement from Executive Director Sulma Arias in response to reports that Democrats are considering caving to Republican demands to gut asylum and refugee legal protections in exchange for foreign military aid.
“We’re outraged that this is even a conversation. President Biden won in 2020 by campaigning against Trump’s racist immigration and asylum policies. It is unconscionable for Majority Leader Schumer and the Biden Administration to even consider trading necessary protections for refugees and asylum seekers for foreign military aid. Democrats should not give in to Republican demands for more suffering for migrants.
“People’s Action is a network of community organizations fighting for justice. We worked hard in 2020 to elect candidates that will build a stronger country where everyone belongs. These callous and dangerous negotiating tactics that will harm many people are exactly the wrong direction for this country, and we will remember this moment in November.”
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People’s Action builds the power of poor and working people in urban, rural, and suburban areas to win change through issue fights and elections. We are a national network of 40 state and local grassroots power-building organizations in 29 states–united in the work of building a bigger “we.”
Contact: press@peoplesaction.org.