September 1, 2016

LATINO LEADERS RESPOND TO TRUMP IMMIGRATION ADDRESS

Washington, D.C. – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 40 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, responded to Wednesday evening’s speech by presidential candidate Donald Trump in which he presented his immigration policy proposals.

Federal immigration law and policy has been a top priority for the Latino community. NHLA’s quadrennial Hispanic Public Policy Agenda, released earlier this year, provides recommendations to reform our immigration, asylum, and naturalization policies towards being more respectful of the dignity of the individual and reflective of our nation’s commitment to human and civil rights, with the overarching goal of advancing the well-being of the nation as a whole.

Central to NHLA’s recommendations for immigration reform is that any legislation must be based on a framework that would allow the 11 million undocumented immigrants in our nation to earn legal status, then citizenship, that recognizes the unique situation of our DREAMers and agricultural workers, and that addresses the unfairness in our existing policies and practices. For those immigrants with legal status, we advocate for efficient and affordable green card application and naturalization processes. Our agenda also calls for sweeping reforms related to detention facilities, including greater access to counsel and ending the mandated bed quota and contracts with for-profit detention service providers. We also support a more thoughtful approach to border security that includes reversing exorbitant spending on border enforcement and halting the further construction of walls along the border.

“After so much anticipation and a supposed softening of approach, all we heard from this candidate were the same harsh policy proposals that do nothing to improve our broken immigration system, grow the economy, or make communities safer. Trump's repeated rhetoric about immigrants as a threat to this nation is leading to increased discrimination and hate crimes against Latinos. This is not how to make America great,” said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “Contrary to the myths Trump advanced in his speech, immigrants are less likely to commit crime than native-born Americans, undocumented immigrants are net contributors to the Social Security Trust Fund, and giving them a pathway to citizenship would boost the economy and reduce the federal deficit.”

“The Latino community wants an immigration policy discussion that focuses on real needs and real impacts, grounded in an accurate understanding of current law and policy,” stated Thomas A. Saenz, Vice Chair of NHLA and MALDEF President and General Counsel. “Alarmist proposals that resonate only with those inordinately interested in symbolism and divisiveness should have no place in any serious policy discussion; we call on all candidates to abandon dog whistles and choir songbooks for serious, fact-based, solution-oriented discussion. When we so engage, we are confident that the wise approaches favored in the Latino community will prevail.”

"After months of misleading, unfounded and demeaning assertions about the millions of immigrants living in the United States, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump doubled down on his harsh rhetoric with misguided, untenable and dangerous proposals that fail to seriously address our nation’s broken immigration system. Mr. Trump’s words and proposals indicate a continued hostility to immigrants and fail to offer the American people a just and workable immigration plan that includes, among other things, respect for due process, a path to citizenship for our hardworking undocumented immigrants and a focus on family reunification,” stated Jose Calderon, President of the Hispanic Federation.

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| Brenda Arredondo | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |

ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda is composed of 40 of the leading national and regional Latino civil rights and public policy organizations and other elected officials, and prominent Latinos Americans. NHLA coalition members represent the diversity of the Latino community – Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latino Americans. NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Latinos around the country to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. NHLA brings together Latino leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit: www.nationalhispanicleadership.org.

NHLA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

Alianza Americas | American GI Forum | ASPIRA Association, Inc. | Avance | Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network | Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | Cuban American National Council | Farmworker Justice | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Inter-University Program for Latino Research | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | Latino Justice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Council of La Raza | National Hispana Leadership Institute | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. | Presente.org | SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States Hispanic Leadership Institute | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S.-Mexico Foundation