(Seattle, WA 4/21/20) – The Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Washington) condemned President Trump's late-night tweet announcing that he intends to sign an executive order to "temporarily suspend immigration into the United States."
TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to Fight Trump's New Plant to Halt Immigration Into U.S. https://www.votervoice.net/CAIR/campaigns/73692/respond
“Immigrant communities contribute to making the state of Washington a vibrant, inclusive place to live,” said Masih Fouladi, Executive Director of CAIR Washington. “Over the last three and a half years of the Trump presidency, more than half of our 750 discrimination cases were a result of the administration’s xenophobic and Islamophobic immigration policies. As we deal with this pandemic, now is the time for us to come together and find commonality with one another. We will continue to work with our community members, partners, and elected officials to defend the civil liberties of our immigrant sisters and brothers by providing both legal and policy support during these difficult times.”
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Trump's ill-defined, insidious and irrational tweet insults the thousands of immigrants who are risking their lives in the fight against COVID-19 as health care, pharmacy, manufacturing, transportation, and grocery workers, among other critical roles . Banning these and other immigrants from our nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic not only undermines our values but would result in fewer essential workers and makes us less safe.
“We condemn President Trump in the strongest terms for using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to advance his longstanding anti-immigrant agenda."
Awad noted that 29 percent of U.S. physicians and 23 percent of store pharmacists are foreign born.
SEE: Migration Policy Institute's Immigrant Workers: Vital to the U.S. COVID-19 Response, Disproportionately Vulnerable
Earlier this month, the Department of State announced that, despite a general suspension of visa processing, the agency would continue to process visas for medical workers, "particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19."
S EE: Department of State Update on Visas for Medical Professionals
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jessica Schreindl, CAIR Washington Communications Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 206.367.4081