for immediate release // excuse cross-posting
White House Continues to Muddle Immigration Policy, Defend Indefensible
April 15, 2014 – Washington, DC
In response to statements made by White House Domestic Policy Advisory, Cecilia Muñoz regarding potential executive action on immigration during a thorough and fair interview by Leon Krauze, Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement:
“Cecilia’s remarks today lay bare the very false logic used by the Obama Administration that has contributed to the current deportation crisis. Everyone knows that political calculations and not legal limitations are delaying inevitable actions the President must take to mitigate the injustice of the status quo and to advance prospects for legislation in Congress. The first thing the Obama Administration can do to advance immigration reform is to exercise its legal authority instead of attempting to deny its existence. Instead, the White House continues to use fallacious arguments to defend the indefensible, and one is left to wonder whether good policy or bad politics is the driving factor at play.”
NDLON launched the #Not1More campaign with local partners in April of 2013 to demand executive action to expand relief, halt deportations, and end the Se Communities program. Since then more than 500 organizations, 4,000 people of faith, and 35 Congressmen have sent letters to the President requesting executive action. On April 5th more than 80 cities held 100 events protesting deportations. The same day marked the beginning of an on-going presence on the White House lawn of families facing deportation asking the adminstration for relief.
In February of 2014, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network filed a formal rulemaking petition under the Administrative Procedure Act considered to be the authoritative document articulating the legal authority and historical precedent for executive action on immigration.
Last week, a Blue Ribbon Commission of current and formerly undocumented leaders formed as an independent and parallel body to makerecommendations for immediate implementation by the President as he instructs DHS to perform its own review of deportation policy. The report outlines 14 steps available under the legal authority of the President to reduce the harm caused by the status quo and expand affirmative relief to the undocumented.
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