President Trump’s speech that conveys a dark vision and seeks to debase, criminalize, and taint all undocumented immigrants with one broad negative brush reached a new level when he declared war on young immigrants suspected of gang involvement. The President’s rationale for this crackdown is flawed, his rhetoric against young undocumented immigrants is despicable, and his goals to fund a mass deportation machine questionable.
CHIRLA is very concerned the Trump Administration seeks to detain, jail, and deport young undocumented immigrants just suspected of gang involvement. For this Administration, sus-picion alone is enough to send the hounds after undocumented immigrants.
The President himself acknowledged in his remarks the process will be like the “old wild west”. ICE is already a rogue agency and its officers increasingly charged with abuse and violence against immigrants detained at the border or held at the more than 300 detention sites throughout the US.
Sadly, President Trump implied he consents to officers not being “too nice” with immigrants regardless if those actions are called for, considered unconstitutional, or result in the loss of lives or costly lawsuits.
It is a dark day when the President of the United States publicly demurs he no longer sees immigrants as people who come to the US seeking to work hard, feed their children, and have close-knit families. In the America we know, we meet on a daily basis immigrants who work hard for the safety and well being of their families and community, contribute to our country in countless ways, and build with their efforts an America where justice and equality prevail for all. Perhaps President Trump can get out more, meet these aspiring Americans, and spend less time consumed with hate and baseless fears.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the largest immigrant rights organization in California, reacted to comments by President Trump on gangs, violence, and immigration.