CAPAC Chair Condemns Trump’s Executive Order Suspending Immigration

Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, President Trump issued an executive order restricting immigration to the United States for 60 days. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement:

“This executive order is Donald Trump’s latest attempt to deflect blame for his poor handling of the coronavirus crisis and use this global pandemic to further his anti-immigrant agenda. Millions of immigrants are currently risking their lives in front line jobs during this crisis to keep our country safe. For instance, immigrants make up 27.9% of doctors and surgeons in the U.S. and 23.8% of the nurses and home aides. Additionally, in my home state of California, immigrants are one third of the workforce deemed essential for getting though this crisis. And with so many exceptions in his order for health care professionals, farmworkers, and investors, it is clear that even President Trump acknowledges how vital immigrants are to our economy, even as he claims otherwise to his Republican base. In order to get through this crisis and rebuild our economy, we are going to need immigrants, just as we always have throughout our history. The President knows this, but is instead using a pandemic to stoke xenophobia and encourage more anger, all to change the conversation away from his failed coronavirus response. Banning immigration does not produce more masks or protective equipment. It does not improve testing. And it does not help our supply lines, where immigrants are disproportionality essential. The President should stop playing politics and instead focus on the policies our country needs to weather this crisis.”