April 23, 2020

Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced that they will be suspending all immigration into the United States for the next 60 days. According to an official statement from the White House, the immigration suspension is intended to “protect American workers as [they] confront the coronavirus.”

We have been on the frontlines countering the Trump administration’s Muslim Ban since it was first announced, and we see this decision for what it is. It is a cynical attempt to take advantage of the crisis in order to pass through. This is not a new strategy. In 2017, the Trump administration used fearmongering tactics in order to pass through their Muslim Ban, and claimed that doing so was in the interest of public safety. All that the Muslim Ban did was separate American families and worsen conditions for immigrant populations across the world. 

Now, the Trump administration is using sinophobia and xenophobia in order to pause immigration, and are claiming that doing so is in the interest of American workers. On the contrary, American workers need paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing and treatment, a federal paycheck guarantee, and moratoriums on consumer payments, among other things. The Trump administration is reneging on its promise to provide for American workers.

We are not, and that’s why we are working through our Human Security campaign to pass legislation which increases access to paid sick leave, funds community health centers, and reforms the criminal justice system. We are continuing to work with our partners in Congress and civil society in order to pass these necessary pieces of legislation, and counter the Trump administration’s pointless and dangerous immigration decision.