Civil and Human Rights Coalition Urges House to Reject Yoho Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON –Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the proposed “Executive Amnesty Prevention Act” (H.R. 5759):

“Nearly a year and a half after the Senate passed a sweeping, bipartisan immigration reform compromise, we are profoundly disappointed that the most the House can do is vote to keep the current dysfunctional system in place. The bill the House is taking up today, the ‘Executive Amnesty Prevention Act,’ is nothing more than a symbolic attack on the common-sense policies recently announced by President Obama to restore balance to our immigration enforcement policies.

In looking at the provisions of the bill, it is difficult to know where to begin. The findings in the bill contain numerous errors of fact and law. The operational parts of the bill appear to have been hastily drafted, and they certainly have not been subjected to any meaningful hearings or bipartisan negotiations. Because the language is so sweeping and so poorly thought-out, it is unclear whether it would go beyond the president’s recent policies to eliminate other long-established forms of relief, such as Temporary Protected Status. In the rush by House leadership to pass this measure, we do not expect today’s debate to shed any light on the impact of the bill or to seriously consider any alternative approaches.

For years, President Obama has expressed a sincere desire to work with Congress on a more comprehensive approach to immigration. Rep. Yoho’s bill is yet another example of House Republicans playing politics instead of working to find a solution to a national problem. House members of good conscience should vote against it.

When Congress returns next year, we sincerely hope the House leadership will finally take the president up on his offer and work on lasting solutions to the many problems that plague our current immigration system.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference, visit www.civilrights.org.