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SCREEN CAPTURE
Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions wants the DOJ to make enforcement of immigration laws a priority for the DOJ. |
U.S. ATTY. General Jeff Sessions last week released a memo directing federal prosecutors to prioritize the prosecution of immigration status-related “crimes,” including an increase in felony charges for immigration status violations.
The memo also prioritizes prosecution of people for transporting or harboring undocumented immigrants.
“For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned: This is a new era. This is the Trump era," Sessions declared to an audience of Customs and Border Protection personnel. Immigration cases already make up 50 percent of the Department of Justice attorneys' caseload.
“For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned: This is a new era. This is the Trump era," Sessions declared to an audience of Customs and Border Protection personnel. Immigration cases already make up 50 percent of the Department of Justice attorneys' caseload.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, condemns the April 12 memorandum.
“The administration’s recently announced policy of prosecuting people for entry into the U.S. without permission is cruel and dangerous. Separating families does not seem to be enough for this administration," reads the AAAJ statement. "Now they want to throw mothers and fathers in prison who are crossing the border to flee harsh, unsafe, economic conditions—seeking safety for their children and the right to put food on the table. Undocumented immigrants are human beings who seek safety, work, and a better life."
“The administration’s recently announced policy of prosecuting people for entry into the U.S. without permission is cruel and dangerous. Separating families does not seem to be enough for this administration," reads the AAAJ statement. "Now they want to throw mothers and fathers in prison who are crossing the border to flee harsh, unsafe, economic conditions—seeking safety for their children and the right to put food on the table. Undocumented immigrants are human beings who seek safety, work, and a better life."
Although the Trump administration has targeted border crossers from Latin America, among the 11 million estimated immigrants without documentation, about 1.7 million are from Asia.
Sessions’ policy and language fosters fear by falsely by painting every undocumented immigrant as criminals and gang members when facts clearly do not support this alternative reality. Many are children trying to escape violence in their home countries. "It’s shameful that we must remind Attorney General Sessions and President Trump that immigrants, both with and without papers, are the bedrock of our nation" said the AAAJ.
Furthermore, prioritizing prosecutions for harboring or transporting of undocumented immigrants appears to be aimed at humanitarian workers and other “good Samaritans” to deter them from assisting undocumented immigrants in any way, such as taking someone to the hospital or treating someone in an emergency situation, the AAAJ statement explained.
Targeting border crossers for criminal prosecution will inevitably sweep up asylum-seekers fleeing violence and persecution and further deter victims of trafficking and abuse from coming forward for fear of criminal prosecution. The mass prosecution and deportation efforts of this administration are unconscionable, shameful actions that are reminiscent of Japanese incarceration when people of Japanese descent were targeted based on their nationality, forcibly removed from their homes, and imprisoned.
The rhetoric and policies coming from the Trump administration are eerily similar to past efforts to scapegoat immigrants that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act and limited immigration from all Asian countries to almost zero. The Trump administration appears intent on persecuting immigrants and determined to heighten anti-immigrant hysteria at the expense of other, more pressing issues facing our nation.
AAAJ urges Congress to stand up as a check against this extreme anti-immigrant agenda. Asian Americans Advancing Justice also supports the passage of state and local policies that disentangle state and local law enforcement from deporting community members.
Senators and congressmembers will have an opportunity to vote on the immigration enforcement budget in a couple of weeks. "We urge them to deny the Administration any additional funds for their anti-immigrant agenda,” said the AAAJ.
Sessions’ policy and language fosters fear by falsely by painting every undocumented immigrant as criminals and gang members when facts clearly do not support this alternative reality. Many are children trying to escape violence in their home countries. "It’s shameful that we must remind Attorney General Sessions and President Trump that immigrants, both with and without papers, are the bedrock of our nation" said the AAAJ.
Furthermore, prioritizing prosecutions for harboring or transporting of undocumented immigrants appears to be aimed at humanitarian workers and other “good Samaritans” to deter them from assisting undocumented immigrants in any way, such as taking someone to the hospital or treating someone in an emergency situation, the AAAJ statement explained.
Targeting border crossers for criminal prosecution will inevitably sweep up asylum-seekers fleeing violence and persecution and further deter victims of trafficking and abuse from coming forward for fear of criminal prosecution. The mass prosecution and deportation efforts of this administration are unconscionable, shameful actions that are reminiscent of Japanese incarceration when people of Japanese descent were targeted based on their nationality, forcibly removed from their homes, and imprisoned.
The rhetoric and policies coming from the Trump administration are eerily similar to past efforts to scapegoat immigrants that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act and limited immigration from all Asian countries to almost zero. The Trump administration appears intent on persecuting immigrants and determined to heighten anti-immigrant hysteria at the expense of other, more pressing issues facing our nation.
AAAJ urges Congress to stand up as a check against this extreme anti-immigrant agenda. Asian Americans Advancing Justice also supports the passage of state and local policies that disentangle state and local law enforcement from deporting community members.
Senators and congressmembers will have an opportunity to vote on the immigration enforcement budget in a couple of weeks. "We urge them to deny the Administration any additional funds for their anti-immigrant agenda,” said the AAAJ.
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