Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Organization Rejects Efforts by House GOP to Play Politics and Leave Millions of Immigrants and Families Behind with KIDS Act

Salem, OR. -- Today, Causa Oregon expresses outrage as a proposal by House Republicans to provide some immigrant youth with a path to citizenship, while leaving their families behind stuck in a permanent underclass, was debated at a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.

“We have a serious crisis with our broken immigration system, and instead of addressing it in a comprehensive manner, House Republicans are offering a crumb to some DREAMers and deportation for the rest,” said Luis Guerra, Executive Director of Causa Oregon.

The Congressional Republicans proposing the so-called “KIDS” Act are the same politicians who killed the DREAM Act in 2010, opposed deferred action for DREAMers to prevent them from deportation in 2012, and then voted to defund that initiative last month.

On Monday, United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation, came out against this thinly-veiled attempt by House Republican leaders to give their party political cover on the issue of immigration without presenting any serious solutions. Causa agrees with United We Dream and rejects any proposal that puts millions of Latinos, Asians, and immigrants into a permanent underclass or excludes them from a pathway to citizenship.

Guerra said, “House Republicans, like Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), have a choice before them: deliver a real solution on immigration and start to rebuild their political brand with the fastest growing demographic in the country, or step further and further away from mainstream America and the Latino and immigrant community with extreme proposals that fall short of a real, long-term solution. Voters want immigration reform with a path to citizenship. It would be a positive step forward for the economy and our country.”

The immigrant rights community and advocates stand together in opposing this effort by House Republicans to divide us. Causa is determined to win citizenship not only for DREAMers, but for all 11 million aspiring citizens living in this country. A comprehensive solution to our broken immigration system is the only way. The time is now.

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Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization is the largest Latina and Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org