García, Quigley, Jayapal and Advocates Call for Passage of PROTECT Immigration Act

Statement

U.S. Representatives Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and five organizations are calling for the immediate passage of the PROTECT Immigration Act after the Washington Post published emails revealing that the Trump administration aggressively recruited sheriffs to detain undocumented immigrants. Quigley's PROTECT Immigration Act would end the 287(g) program which, under Trump, allowed ICE to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies for the purposes of enforcing federal immigration law. Earlier this year, the Representatives and more than 50 members of Congress also sent a letter calling on President Biden to follow through on his campaign promise to review and terminate 287(g) agreements.

"Programs like 287(g) are not only racist and cruel but are also ineffective. My city of Chicago was the first sanctuary city in the country because we are a city that welcomes immigrants, and nobody should live in fear of police harassment simply because of their status," said Congressman García. "Immigrants kept our country running during the pandemic, but they are still subject to increased racial profiling, arrests, incarceration, and deportation as a result of this program. To undo the damage anti-immigrant policies have caused in our communities President Biden must keep his promise to review and end programs such as 287(g)."

"We already knew that the Trump administration spent their four years in office eroding the relationship between law enforcement and their communities and fomenting fear among immigrant communities. This week's revelations show just how aggressively Trump officials pursued that agenda." said Quigley. "Congress has an obligation to take every step we can to end the programs that turn local law enforcement into immigration enforcement departments. It's the only way we can return to an immigration system that prioritizes justice over fear."

"We have long known that the Trump administration aggressively targeted, profiled, and tore apart immigrant communities while cruelly criminalizing those who call America home," said Congresswoman Jayapal. "While we put an end to the Trump administration, we must also put an end to the unnecessary deputization of local and state police departments to enforce outdated immigration law, distracting them from their primary duty of upholding public safety. Doing so will not only make our communities more safe but it will also begin to humanely reform our broken immigration system so it's finally focused on dignity and family unity."

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