Castro Statement on DHS Memos Regarding the Implementation of Immigration Executive Orders
San Antonio, TX – Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement regarding the two immigration-related memos that U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly issued on the implementation of President Trump’s "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States" and "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements" executive orders:
“Secretary Kelly’s memos confirm that the President’s aggressive immigration executive orders are being set into motion. While the Obama Administration prioritized the removal of violent criminals, the Trump Administration has deemed almost all undocumented immigrants – with the exception of some DACA recipients – priorities for deportation. The door is open for families to be ripped apart, separating hardworking parents from their children. Additionally, increasing the number of immigrant detention facilities, reinstating the controversial Secure Communities program, expanding the number of individuals subject to expedited removal, and referring parents who brought their children to the United States for criminal prosecution undermine our national security and our economic might. These costly measures and the administration’s insistence on building an ineffective, multi-billion dollar border wall are not efficient uses of our resources.
“I agree that we must remove violent individuals who entered the United States illegally. But in targeting an exponentially larger segment of the immigrant population, the President’s extreme orders make our country less safe. Instead, we should pursue sensible, comprehensive reforms that Americans across the political spectrum support.”
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