Wednesday, January 25, 2017
As President Trump signs executive orders today focusing on immigration and securing the border with Mexico, Brandon Wu, Senior Policy Analyst at ActionAid USA, said:
“Today, President Trump has taken the first steps towards putting his campaign’s attacks on immigrants and Muslims into policy. His plan to build a wall on our border with Mexico is a waste of taxpayer dollars, and will do nothing to solve economic and social problems here in the U.S. And his policy to restrict immigration from specific countries[1] is openly xenophobic, going against our country’s aspiration to provide opportunities for all.
“Immigrant rights are human rights, and they must be respected. Regardless of where they’re from and why they’re moving, immigrants must be treated with dignity. The president’s vile anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, and Islamophobic rhetoric is no laughing matter – for vulnerable people, these are matters of life and death.
“ActionAid stands with all immigrants and refugees. We condemn all actions that make it harder for refugees to seek safety in our country, and that promote the targeting of immigrants, divide families, and foster division based on race, ethnicity, religion and nationality.
“The Trump administration must revise its hateful and harmful agenda, and demonstrate its commitment to human rights, not create greater divisions within our nation. ActionAid will continue to take sides with people living in poverty and exclusion around the world, and stand strong in the face of threats to people’s rights at home and overseas.”
*UPDATED 01/25/17 @ 5pm to include notes to editors
Notes to Editors:
[1] The policy to restrict immigration from specific countries is now expected to be formally announced later this week.
