The Advocates for Human Rights Condemns President Trump’s Executive Order to Halt Immigration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Advocates for Human Rights condemns President Trump’s intention to halt immigration.
April 21, 2020 – On Monday, The New York Times reported that President Trump said he would sign an executive order to temporarily halt immigration to the U.S. as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread. Trump campaigned on shutting down immigration. From 2017’s Muslim Ban to last month’s order to illegally turn back asylum seekers without a hearing the administration has been ready to exploit any opportunity to isolate the United States.
By focusing on jobs, the president’s tweet plays into xenophobic tropes. But the facts are clear:
459,000 people immigrated to the United States last year; 22 million Americans filed for
unemployment last month. At a time when the administration should be focusing on public
health, safety and real economic issues, it is scapegoating immigrants yet again. “The
administration’s immigration policy has consistently ignored federal law, international treaty
obligations, fundamental human rights, and its impact on the human beings involved, including
the immigrants, their families and the broader community,” said, Robin Phillips, executive
director of The Advocates for Human Rights.
