Friday, March 29, 2024

Latino Lawmakers Denounce Immigration Raids

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a town hall event at Old Brick Church and Community Center in Iowa City, Iowa, December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich

In the wake of the Department of Homeland Security’s latest batch of raids and deportations of undocumented immigrants in which 121 individuals were arrested and removed from the United States many prominent Latino lawmakers in Congress and Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton are denouncing the Obama Administration’s actions and calling for a halt to the practice.

“Hillary Clinton believes the United States should give refuge to people fleeing persecution, and should be especially attentive to the needs of children. Families who arrive here should be guaranteed due process on their asylum petitions, including a full and fair opportunity to tell their stories” said a spokesman with the Hillary for America campaign.

Drawing attention to the issue of the violence many immigrants face not only on their journey to the United States but also once they are returned to their home countries, US Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) issued a statement in which he said  “let us be very clear. Deporting families will not resolve the violence and corruption that push people from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to risk assault, rape, and murder to seek refuge in the United States.”

Gutierrez, leading Latino lawmakers and several immigrant rights groups plan on attending a news conference outside The White House on Friday in order to protest what Gutierrez calls a “discredited policy.”

Clinton’s spokesperson added that the former secretary of state “ believes we should be investing in a longer-term comprehensive solution to the challenge of violence in Central America that causes so many people to make the treacherous journey north.”

 

Latin Post