Immigration Justice: (Capitol Calling Party: Tuesday, April, 6th, 2021)
Channel: CODEPINK
Date: 2021-04-07

On Tuesday, April 6, CODEPINK Congress asked the question: What would immigration justice look like? We were be joined by three guests: 

Arturo Viscarra, an immigration attorney living in Mexico and working with The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), discussed the influx of migrants at the border and CHIRLA’s campaign for a moratorium on immigrant arrests and deportations, as well as a path to citizenship.

Matt Nelson, executive director of Presente, the largest national online Latinx organizing group, talked about his organization's campaign to promote a new positive narrative about migrants and migration in order to inform public opinion to support immigration policy reforms.

Adrienne Pine, co-editor of the book Asylum for Sale: Profit and Protest in the Migration Industry, discussed the role of US-backed coups and militarization fueling Central American migration and evaluate the prospect for immigration justice under the Biden administration.

President Biden, who halted the construction of the border wall, has come under criticism following the release of photos showing migrant children in Texas packed together in makeshift rooms with mattresses on the floor. In response, the administration announced the opening of “16,000 emergency beds for migrant children” in new housing facilities. 

Despite Republican charges that Biden advocates "open borders," the Biden administration has left Trump's policy of expelling asylum seekers in place.

So what's the answer?  Let's talk about it, then take action!

After our discussion, we held our Capitol Calling Party to ask members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 694, the Roadmap to Freedom (Jayapal, D-WA), & H.R. 536, the New Way Forward Act to provide a path to citizenship, promote family reunification & end mandatory detention for some immigrants. Take action here: https://www.codepink.org/cpcongressimmigration