Titus Opposes House Passage of Anti-Immigrant Bill
Washington, DC,
September 14, 2017
September 14, 2017
The bill had no hearings and no debates, stripping away due process rights and subjecting religious groups to action by law enforcement. September 14, 2017 Las Vegas – Today Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District released the following statement after the U.S. House passed H.R. 3697, the so-called “Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act.” The legislation creates new grounds for removal of “gang members,” but the bill’s poorly-written and broad language captures many individuals who have no involvement in any gang activity: members of the religious community, humanitarian workers, and green-card holders, among others. The bill strips away due process rights by allowing law enforcement to take action based on the mere belief of an association with criminal activity. There have been no hearings, no mark-ups, and no opportunities to offer amendments. More than 350 local, state, and national immigrant, civil rights, human rights, faith-based, and anti-poverty organizations oppose the legislation. “A vote for this bill is a vote to attack, profile and deport immigrants. I stand with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to say that this legislation’s dangerous and sweeping provisions ignore due process rights and change the definition of ‘criminal gang’ to target nuns, ministers, rabbis, humanitarian workers, and others who harbor immigrants who are often fleeing danger. Instead of infringing on constitutional rights and ramming through bills without normal order, Republicans should work with Democrats to debate and pass comprehensive reform bills to fix our nation’s broken immigration system and fight crime.” BACKGROUND H.R. 3697 Denies Admission to Individuals on the Mere Belief of Wrongdoing.
Classifies Religious Workers and Humanitarian Aid Workers as Gang Members.
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