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Sep 5, 2018

Quad Caucus Requests the Immediate Reunification of Families at the Southern Border

The Quad Caucus condones the willful separation of children from parents seeking asylum in our nation’s southern border. Although action has been taken to reverse this policy, we must ensure that we do not allow this to be repeated.

The Quad Caucus requests families be immediately reunited. The Quad Caucus believes that separating families and placing children in cages is inhumane and immoral.

The Quad Caucus urges Congress to reform flawed immigration policies that impact the lives of children, from Dreamers to infants. The current system showed our gaps and resulted in inhumane practices. This is an opportunity to take action and act as a compassionate nation.

Senator Carmelo Rios Santiago, President, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL): “No civilized democracy would ever rip children from their parents’ embrace for petty misdemeanors; much less for merely trying to seek asylum. Nor would it question refugees’ lack of documentary formalities to prove the relationship between a mother and her child. The Trump Administration’s inhumane so-called ‘zero tolerance’ border policy has cost the United States its moral authority to question dictators and repressive regimes on the world stage. It has rightly drawn strong bipartisan condemnation at all levels, including from all living former First Ladies. The Administration’s fallback policy of imprisoning children along with their families is just as heinous because, whatever problem a society may face, putting kids in cages is never the answer.”

Representative Kyle Yamashita (HI), Chair, National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators (NAPACSL): “Families belong in communities, not cages. These families will be impacted for decades, similar to the damage done by the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.”

Representative Gregory Porter (IN), President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL): “NBCSL strongly condemns this Administration’s toxic and reprehensible practice of taking young children from their parents andconfining them away in grim shelters for immigrating across the Southern Border. From slavery to the War on Drugs, African-Americans are all too familiar with the long-lasting consequences on the psychological development of children who have been separated from their families. It is our hope that the federal government will find the compassion to stop this inhumane practice and serve all children in our country with dignity and love.”

Senator John McCoy (WA), Chair, National Caucus of Native American State Legislators (NCNASL): “The traumatic effect of breaking families apart is something all too familiar for the American Indian community and is strongly condemned. This is a plea for our country to be on the right side of history, to understand the impact this may have on all future generations and take immediate action.”

Senator Carmelo Rios Santiago (PR), President, NHCSL: “As Hispanic American elected officials, we draw strength from today’s statements by our African American, Asian-Pacific American, and Native American colleagues, which underscore that this is not just a Hispanic issue, it is an American issue and a human issue.”