On Friday, Senators Corker (TN) and Hoeven (SD) filed a compromise amendment designed to appease the deportation-only members of the Republican caucus. A cloture vote on the amendment, which incorporates the immigration bill reported out of the Judiciary Committee, held on Monday, June 24th. The Corker-Hoeven Compromise doubles the number of border patrol agents and builds hundreds of miles of border fence, costing the U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars and creating a devastating effect on border communities; but the pathway to citizenship, supported by the vast majority of Americans, remains intact.
“This is not the bill we have worked for during the last ten years,” said Ana Garcia-Ashley, executive director of Gamaliel. “At a time when our country is in desperate need of investments in crumbling infrastructure, schools, and job creation, it is foolish and short-sighted to direct billions of dollars to secure a border that is already secure. Unfortunately, we have seen victory slip through our fingers too many times in the past and cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, so we urge our Senators to vote “YES” on Monday evening. The dignity and well-being of 11 million people living in the shadows is dependent upon their vote.”
Salvador Cerna, Gamaliel’s Civil Rights of Immigrants chair said, “We need our government to take the courage for an immediate, permanent and just solution to our immigration problem. We hope the federal government put people and families first before special interests. As people of faith, we will not rest until comprehensive immigration reform is reached. We have answered the call of our faith, which tells us to respect the sanctity of family, and assures us that our God is a God of justice, not cruelty.
Gamaliel remains focused on unifying families and securing rights, protections, and dignity for all within our borders. In the coming days, Gamaliel clergy and leaders will work to limit the worst parts of the Corker-Hoeven Compromise. For more information, visit www.gamaliel.org.
