The following media statement was shared by Alerta Migratoria NC on Thursday afternoon:
Alerta Migratoria NC was founded in 2014 to respond to the urgent needs of an immigrant community facing increased attacks by the Obama administration. With members throughout North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, we understand firsthand the reality of what immigrants face on the ground.
The urgency of the lives of the immigrants we represent demands that we take every opportunity to advance their rights. We oppose the “End The Shutdown and Secure the Border Act” proposal as it is unacceptable. However, we call on Democrats to match the courage of our members and negotiate directly with Trump for a permanent fix.
Refusal to negotiate with Republicans, and with President Trump is not acceptable. We ask you—go to the mat and fight for us! President Trump’s offer to restore some temporary protections for Dreamers and TPS individuals in exchange for wall funding is weak, and we are asking Speaker Pelosi and other Democratic leaders to go and negotiate. Go to the table with a real offer and fight. Create a permanent solution for DACA and TPS recipients.
Democrats should take this overture as an opening salvo and engage in earnest negotiations. The time to change is now. “RESIST” is an easy battle cry for those with nothing to lose.
We’ve seen the hand-wringing and the excuses from Democratic leaders for the last two years. We’ve listened while senators and congressional representatives tell us there is nothing they can do, when our friends and loved ones were missing, jailed, and suffering. “The Republicans control everything, we’re sorry. We can’t do anything.”
The immigration issue and the lives of DREAMERS and TPS recipients has been easy political fodder for the Democrats for too long. Our community is begging you, go to work and negotiate for real, permanent change. As recently as 2013, Democrats were voting for more fencing, funding and CBP officer recruitment. If Democratic leaders are opposed to walls, let’s see the walls and fences that are already on the Southern U.S. border come down.
If Democrats truly care about the fate of Dreamers and TPS recipients, they will negotiate with Republicans on our behalf.
