Rep. Judy Chu: 'The White House immigration proposal is an insult to our nation'

DESPITE WHAT HE SAYS, -- "Love those Dreamers," -- Donald Trump isn't serious about giving DACA participants a pathway to citizenship. Otherwise, why would he propose immigration reform measures that would be impossible for Democrats to accept?

If it was just the $25-billion Damn Wall, there might be a little give-and-take in negotiations increasing border security while allowing the Dreamers to remain in the only country they've ever known. However, the Trump proposals essentially closes that door. 

Among the key elements of Trump's plan that are stumbling blocks are:

• Cutting legal immigration -- 1.1 million annually -- by 44%
• Shutting off family-based migration for all but spouses and minor children
• Eliminating the visa lottery program, or “green card lottery,” which aims to diversify the immigrant population

That's a huge bet in a high-stakes poker game. The GOP is dangling the fate of 800,000 DACA enrolees vs. a complete overhaul of the immigration policies that have been in effect since 1965 when the Immigration & Naturalization Act removed the policies that favored immigrants from Europe by giving each country a 20,000 yearly quota.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), released the following statement in response to the White House’s immigration proposals:

“The White House immigration proposal is an insult to our nation. This purely partisan plan is as extreme and xenophobic as its creators: Stephen Miller and Donald Trump. It holds Dreamers hostage by demanding exorbitant border enforcement funds and proposes to decimate our legal, family-based immigration system and end diversity visas in order to enshrine DACA protections. 

"As I have said before, any cuts to our family-based immigration system in a DACA deal is absolutely unacceptable. Our current, family-based immigration system has been in existence since 1965 and has contributed greatly to America. It has strengthened our economy and has often been the only mechanism for women to reunite with their families in the United States. Contributing to America should not require individuals to abandon their loved ones, and CAPAC will not support an anti-immigrant proposal that simply trades one family’s pain for that of another.

“Trump’s extreme proposal slams the door on immigration to this country. U.S. citizens and green card holders would no longer be able to sponsor their parents, siblings, or adult children over the age of 21. Only spouses and minor children would be able to come. This would cut in half the number of legal immigrants who could come to this country.

“This proposal runs contrary to our values as a nation, and is especially harmful to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, many of whom have reunited with their families through our legal immigration system. It is clear that Donald Trump’s cruel decision to terminate the DACA program last September was made to appease his anti-immigrant base. The fact that Donald Trump would now demand that we decimate our legal, family unification system reveals his true goal: to make America white again.

“The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that Dreamers should be able to stay in the United States and continue to contribute to the only country many of them have ever known. There are multiple proposals to protect Dreamers in Congress that have strong bipartisan support. However, Donald Trump has chosen to double down on his hateful, xenophobic demands and hold Dreamers ransom in order to propagate his anti-immigrant agenda. I urge Republican leadership to prioritize governing over campaigning, and allow us to vote on a clean DREAM Act immediately.”

The vast majority of DACA recipients are from Mexico. Eighty-four percent of Mexicans and 83 percent of Salvadorans applied in 2016. Immigrants from Asian countries have some of the lowest application rates — less than 30 percent of eligible applicants applied from the Philippines, India and South Korea. Only about 20% of the eligible Korean population applied, and only 23% of eligible Filipinos and 20% of eligible Indians applied, according to the Migration Policy Institute. But 82% of eligible Mexicans applied.

"Instead of stepping up as heroes, too many members of Congress in both parties are still acting like cowards, abandoning immigrant families who are natural political allies and have the power to sway elections," said Christina Jimnez, executive director of United We Dream.

"Year after year, members of Congress count on the support of immigrants and people of color. Our communities regularly show up at the polls. But when we call on Congress to show up for us, some Democrats and moderate Republicans are reluctant to step up," she warned.

"When considering Trump’s latest plan for immigration and the Dream Act, Democrats and Republicans of conscience must hold the line, and do what is morally right and politically necessary for the protection of immigrant youth and families."
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