NILC Immigrant Justice Fund Statement Following Houston Debate

LOS ANGELES — Following the Democratic presidential debate in Houston, TX, Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center Immigrant Justice Fund, released the following statement:

“Tonight we heard the candidates strongly condemn Trump’s cruel, costly, and ineffective policies that are harming immigrants and our country. Candidates delivered strong rebukes of this administration’s inhumane caging of families coming to this country for a better life. While Trump’s policies must immediately be reversed by any future administration, candidates must go further to offer a clearer, bolder vision for a society that is welcoming and inclusive of all immigrants.

“We need an immigration system that acknowledges immigrants as the fabric of the country, and we need policy solutions — from health care to education — that include immigrants. While candidates agreed that immigration makes us stronger, tonight they did not outline how to strengthen our immigration system to ensure that it’s equal for all and to undo the damage done by the Trump administration.

“If we truly want to be the land of opportunity, then we need to do more than undo the egregious harms committed under Trump. American voters want a president who will fight to strengthen our schools, health care, and economy for all of us, regardless of our immigration status.”