HISPANIC FEDERATION: “BORDER AND FOREIGN AID BILL WAS DEAD ON ARRIVAL”
For Immediate Release: February 5, 2024
Contact: media@hispanicfederation.org
President and CEO Frankie Miranda issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s border and foreign aid funding bill:
“Let’s be abundantly clear – the border and foreign aid bill was dead on arrival as soon as it was introduced. And it’s because negotiations have been riddled with disingenuous actions during the entire process. As we’ve said before, in the face of decades of inaction, extremist Republicans and President Donald Trump have hijacked Congress to prevent real bipartisan legislation, and in that process, they are creating a mockery of the institution. At the same time, some Democrats are wavering on the values that have defined and strengthened our country for centuries.
Lawmakers need to stop trying to score quick political points during an election year and go back to the negotiating table. Bipartisanship requires compromise, but we should not have to choose between eliminating humanitarian protections and providing aid to our allies.
Congress must stop using innocent lives as bargaining chips. Instead, they should seize this opportunity to communicate and coordinate with cities and states facing labor shortages and increase legal immigration to supercharge their economies. In other words, we need to streamline our immigration system to provide more pathways to legal residency for newly arrived asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants who have long called this country home, and we need to get them to work as quickly as possible. Doing so would enable migrants to provide for their families while unleashing billions of dollars in tax revenue.
We can support asylum seekers and our allies without abandoning our values. Doing so will require the House and Senate to stop their politicking, uncouple foreign aid and immigration from any bill, and introduce legislation that reflects the values that strengthen this country.”
ABOUT HISPANIC FEDERATION
Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized and immigrant Latinos. With programs in 40 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
