Joint Statement Regarding a Nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
by Jasmine Nazarett | November 18, 2020 3:54 pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2020
Joint Statement Regarding a Nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
We congratulate President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on a decisive victory against Donald Trump. This win is a solid rejection of Trump’s vile xenophobia and a clear mandate to immediately undo the anti-immigrant and anti-refugee policies enacted during the Trump administration. This is an essential first step after four years of relentless and systematic assaults on immigrants and aspiring immigrants and refugees. This win is also a call to action – the new administration must begin the long-overdue work of updating our immigration system to reflect the highest values of our country.
We stand ready to work with the transition and the incoming Administration to achieve these crucial goals. It will require leadership from the very top; the White House must prioritize the appointment of a Secretary of DHS with the experience and expertise necessary to make these goals a reality. Specifically, they must have an extensive background on immigration, possess a deep understanding of the immigrant community, profound respect for U.S. humanitarian obligations, commitment to approaching immigration through a humanitarian lens, and a demonstrated ability to lead large institutions through significant mission realignments.
Then-candidate Biden’s immigration platform stated: “Immigration is essential to who we are as a nation, our core values, and our aspirations for our future.” We are confident that President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will select a nominee for DHS Secretary who agrees. The next DHS Secretary must be committed to the transformative overhaul of the immigration system that our country so desperately needs, along with leading on the other essential functions currently under the authority of DHS. We look forward to supporting such a nominee.
Signed,
National Organizations:
Alianza Americas
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
America’s Voice
Bend the Arc
Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)
Community Change
Center for Popular Democracy (CPD)
Demos
Faith in Action
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)
FWD.us
Immigration Hub
Hispanic Federation
Human Rights First
Immigration Hub
Indivisible
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR)
Mi Familia Vota
Mijente
MoveOn
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC)
National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIP NLG)
National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)
Resistance Force
South Asian American Leaders (SAALT)
Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC)
UndocuBlack
UnidosUS
UNITE HERE
United Farm Workers
United Farm Workers Foundation
United We Dream
Women’s Refugee Commission
Regional, State, and Local Organizations:
Alliance San Diego
Arriba Las Vegas Worker Center
CASA
Florida Immigrant Coalition
Florida Institute for Community Studies
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights
Make the Road Nevada
Make the Road New York
Make the Road Pennsylvania