Press Release
Trump Raids An Attack on Civil Rights in All Communities
Related Issues
WASHINGTON—The Wall Street Journal reported the Trump Administration will conduct immigration raids as soon as Monday, Jan. 20 in cities across America, including Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. The following is a statement from Common Cause President & CEO Virginia Kase Solomón:
“These raids are nothing more than an abuse of power meant to divide communities, strip Latino Americans of their dignity, and stop new Americans from participating in our democracy. By sending American immigrants into hiding, the Trump administration is denying us all the multi-racial democracy and safe neighborhoods we deserve.
“These raids will not only silence voices at the ballot box, but in our own neighborhoods, hurting us all. We all lose when naturalized citizens and other new Americans are too afraid to hold elected representatives accountable for basic services, call the police when they witness a crime, or alert the fire department when they see a fire.
“Sadly, this anti-immigrant playbook is not new. Our own Constitution was written by an elite few intent on excluding women, Blacks, and those who built the country. Since then, we continue to experience a new wave of anti-immigrant sentiments to benefit a political agenda—a trend in both liberal and conservative states.
“On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Common Cause and our partners are defending his vision of the ‘Beloved Community’ where all people’s civil rights are not just protected but honored and celebrated. Immigrants have made this country the oldest and most successful democracy in the history of the world, and we will ensure that trend continues.”
###