WASHINGTON, DC (April 21, 2020) Yesterday, President Trump announced his plan to issue an executive order temporarily suspending immigration to the United States. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) – a Quaker organization that has worked with immigrants and refugees for over 100 years – spoke out against the decision.
“The president is using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to dramatically advance his racist, anti-immigrant policy agenda,” said Kristin Kumpf, AFSC’s director of Human Migration and Mobility. “Suspending all immigration will not keep us safe from the pandemic. What it will do is separate families and communities and distract from what we actually need – a public health response that helps keep everyone healthy and safe."
AFSC programs across the country and around the world have been working tirelessly to support mutual aid efforts, community initiatives, and policy changes to protect people from COVID-19 and the economic fallout.
“Because of the Trump Administration’s failure to take action, and because of this country’s long history of dramatically underfunding health care, we already have the most confirmed COVID-19 cases on the planet,” said Tori Bateman, AFSC’s Policy Advocacy Coordinator. “We don’t need xenophobic distractions; we need a massive shift of resources away from militarism and immigration enforcement and toward public health.”
AFSC is calling on everyone to contact their members of Congress and urge them to take immediate action to block Trump’s order.
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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.