Press Release
Published on December 18, 2017
New York City—To mark International Migrant Day, Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer released the following statement:
“The Trump Administration—since day one—has pushed policies that trample on the human rights of migrants. The president has made clear that he doesn’t believe migrants who are in this country without authorization have basic human rights or dignity, and has done everything he can to punish and prosecute them. By curtailing release from immigration detention, the president has made sure that many are stuck in detention facilities and jails for months—even when their detention is unnecessary, disproportionate, and otherwise arbitrary. The administration’s decision to end temporary protective status for Haitians will force many to return to Haiti despite the threats to their safety, and the decision to end DACA puts many young immigrants who grew up in this country at risk of deportation and separation from their families.
“By violating U.S. treaty obligations, the administration is encouraging other nations to ignore the law, a move which exacerbates global instability. These actions betray America’s long history as a nation of immigrants, and make our nation less safe. Policies designed to dehumanize and demonize individuals only divide us, sending a signal to the world that this nation is falling victim to its worst impulses. Keeping families apart, jailing those seeking protection, and prosecuting migrants don’t put ‘America First,’ they threaten the very core of what it means to be American.”
