Statement from Mayor Bowser on President Trump’s Threat to Arrest and Remove Immigrant Residents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 21, 2019

CONTACT:

LaToya Foster (EOM)

Statement from Mayor Bowser on President Trump’s Threat to Arrest and Remove Immigrant Residents

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Bowser released the following statement on President Trump’s threat to arrest and remove immigrant residents:

“On January 20, 2017, we vowed that nothing would change our DC values – that remains true today. Regardless of immigration status, immigrants in DC are our neighbors, coworkers, family members, and valued members of our community. The President should understand that not only are these threats cruel and antithetical to our American values, they are actually making our communities less safe by sending more residents into hiding, cut off from resources, support, and opportunity. Washington, DC remains a proud sanctuary city, and we are committed to protecting the rights of all our immigrant families in the face of these disturbing threats. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our immigrant neighbors this week and every week, while continuing our calls for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that protects Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status holders and creates pathways to citizenship.”

Washington, DC, through the Immigrant Justice Legal Services (IJLS) Grant Program, offers targeted legal services and resources to immigrant residents and their family members. The IJLS program complements other community grant programs run by the various constituent service offices and the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants.

The following organizations received funding in Fiscal Year 2019:

• African Communities Together
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
• Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
• Asylum Seeker Assistance Project
• Ayuda
• Briya Public Charter School
• Catholic Charities
• DC Affordable Law Firm
• Human Rights First
• KIND (Kids in Need of Defense)
• LAYC (Latin American Youth Center)
• Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
• TASSC (Torture Abolition and Support Survivors Coalition)
• Trabajadores Unidos de Washington, DC
• Whitman-Walker Health

Mayor Bowser launched a partnership between DC Government and the National Immigration Forum to provide financial support to help eligible green card holders obtain the security of citizenship. This year, the Mayor awarded $100,000 on a first-come, first-serve basis to pay the citizenship application fees of participants through the partnership.

The Metropolitan Police Department will never inquire about immigration status.

DC provides services to all families without regard to immigration status:

• District law requires that individuals who speaks limited or no English receive equal access to programs and services.
• DC offers limited purpose drivers licenses, regardless of immigration status.
• Students have a right to attend school and obtain services at school, such as free meal programs and special education.
• DC offers health insurance through the health care alliance to persons ineligible for Medicaid.
• Through the Department of Behavioral Health access help line, (1-888-793-4357), DC offers free mental health counseling, regardless of immigration status.

 More information on immigration resources can be found at dc.gov/immigration-resources

###