Congressional Democrats Tell President to Pause Deportations
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Congress of IIje United states aaaaslffngtmt £ 20515 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington D.C. 205 00 December 5 2013 Dear Mr. President The undersigned Membe rs of Congress res pectfu lly request tha t you suspe nd any fur the r d ep or ta tio ns a nd e xp an d t he s uc ce ss fu l d ef er re d a ct io n p ro gr am t o a ll th os e wh o wo ul d b e potential citizens under immigration reform. We stand by the 543 faith-based labor ne ig hb orh oo d lega l and civil right s organiza tio ns includ ing the AFL -CI O MALDEF Uni ted We Dream and NDL ON tha t support thi s pro posal a nd a gr ee th at th is is th e b es t w ay t o a dv an ce t he p ath t o c iti ze ns hi p f or u nd oc um en te d indi vi duals across the country. We appr eciate your commit ment to reforming our nat ion s broken immigration poli ci es for the benefit of a ll. I n t he c on te xt o f the int ransigence o f a small number o f legislator s that are willing t o h ol d t he l eg is la tio n h os ta ge u nle ss w e p as s a s er ie s o f incredibl y extreme proposals a cessation o f the deportatio n o f the 1 1 0 0 p ote nt ia l c iti ze ns e xp el le d d ail y w ou ld d o a g re at d ea l to set the parameters o f the conversation. Let us not take these policies lightly. Every deportation o f a father a sister or a neighbor tears at our social consciousness; ever y unnecessary ra id and detention seriously threatens the fa bric o f civil liberties we swore to uphold. We are talking about American familie and A me ri ca n communities. Criminalizing American families or giving local law enforcement the responsibility to choose who stays and who goes is not the right option. Our efforts in Congress will only be helped by the sensible and moral step o f stopping deportations. A s w e h av e s ee n wi th d ef er re d a cti on f or c hi ld ho od a rr iv al s s uc h r el ie f b r in gs wi th it t he b en ef it o f active participation in the debate by undocumented people themselves. When their stories are k no wn a nd v oic es a re h ea rd w e h av e w it ne ss ed h ow th e d eb ate s hif ts . T he f ea r a nd x en op ho bia that block progress only shrink in the display o f their courage. But left unchecked the threat o f deportations will prevent so many from coming forward and contributing to the national conversat ion. Inst ea d the specter of deportation removes the human and grounding element in any poli ti cal discussion—those indi vi dual s who ar e most directly impact ed. P RI NT ED ON R EC Y CL ED P A PE R
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Transcript of Congressional Democrats Tell President to Pause Deportations
8/13/2019 Congressional Democrats Tell President to Pause Deportations
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/congressional-democrats-tell-president-to-pause-deportations 1/4
Congress of IIje United sta tesaaaaslffngtmt £ 20515
Presiden t Barack Obama
The Wh it e H ou se
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington D.C. 20500
December 5 2013
Dear Mr. President
The undersigned Members of Congress respectfully request that you suspend any further
deportations and expand the successful deferred action program to all those who would be
potential citizens under immigration reform.
We stand by the 543 faith-based labor neighborhood legal and civil rights organizations
including the AFL-CIO MALDEF United We Dream and NDLON that support this proposal
and agree that this is the best way to advance the path to citizenship for undocumented
individuals across the country.
We appreciate your commitment to reforming our nation s broken immigration policies for the
benefit of all. In the context of the intransigence of a small number of legislators that are willing
to hold the legislation hostage unless we pass a series of incredibly extreme proposals a
cessation of the deportation of the 1 100 potential citizens expelled daily would do a great deal to
set the parameters of the conversation.
Let us not take these policies lightly. Every deportation of a father a sister or a neighbor tears at
our social consciousness; every unnecessary raid and detention seriously threatens the fabric of
civil liberties we swore to uphold. We are talking about American families and American
communities. Criminalizing American families or giving local law enforcement the
responsibility to choose who stays and who goes is not the right option.
Our efforts in Congress will only be helped by the sensible and moral step of stopping
deportations.
As we have seen with deferred action for childhood arrivals such reliefbrings with it the benefit
of active participation in the debate by undocumented people themselves. When their stories are
known and voices are heard we have witnessed how the debate shifts. The fear and xenophobia
that block progress only shrink in the display of their courage. But left unchecked the threat of
deportations will prevent so many from coming forward and contributing to the national
conversation. Instead the specter of deportation removes the human and grounding element in
any political discussion—those individuals who are most directly impacted.
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8/13/2019 Congressional Democrats Tell President to Pause Deportations
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The senseless opposition that neither reflects the public will nor the moral responsibility we
hold should not allow us to prolong the needless suffering of those who could so soon have their
place in our society fully recognized. In fact taking a strong step toward granting relief would
move us in the direction of where the immigration debate rightfully should start with the
legalization of eleven million men and women who call the United States their home.
As the debate proceeds it is necessary to expand the protections of our future citizens that were
established by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and grant it to the family and
neighbors and all of those who have made their lives here but are yet to be fully recognized.
We cannot continue to witness potential citizens in our districts go through the anguish of
deportation when legalization could bejust around the corner for them. We look to you to firmly
contribute to advancing inclusion for immigrants by suspending deportations and expanding
DACA.
Sincerely
The undersigned
Raijl M. Grijalva
iber of Congress
J^ JJAelade leine Borda llo
Member of Congress
John DelaneyMember of Congress
H)J @ aKs
Y v e tt e C l ar k e
Member of Congress
Tony Cardenas
Member of Congress
Lloyd DoggettMember of Congress
8/13/2019 Congressional Democrats Tell President to Pause Deportations
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Gwen M o
Member of Congress
^ n O wrtol.
Beto O R o u r k e
Member of Congress
Charles Rangel
Member of Congress
v Vfdc
Schakowsky
ember of Congress
D in a T it us
Member of Congress
Filemon Vela
Member of Congress
^-^Qrace Napolitano
Member ofCongress
M a r k P o c a n
Member of Congress
Bobby L. Rush
Member ofCongress
M a r k T a k a n o
Member of Congress
vUMarc Veasey
Member of Congress
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