Let the Caravan Pass

Let the Caravan Pass

Photo/ NY Times

By Carlos Alcala

CLC Chair

   Border separation of families are skyrocketing.  The Charlatan President is using the "caravan" from Honduras as the new boogieman.  The caravan should not be stopped.  People in the caravan are refugees.  Our country has laws that allow refugees to seek asylum and we have a due process system.  By comparison, there are many Ukranium refugees who come to this country every year.  We are all people and we are all entitled to equal protection under the law.  There should not be different treatment for Latinos and European refugees.  Trump has increased European refugee immigration by 200% since 2014 including an 1100% increase in Ukranium refugees  from 2014.  At the same time, Trump  has reduced 2018 refugee Latino refugee immigration by a whopping 65% from 2014 including zero refugees allowed from Mexico.  Refugees should not be about white culture, as GOP Steve King suggests.  Race should not enter into refugee status.  The laws of our country should outweigh racism.  Let the caravan pass.  Let our refugee laws function.  Keep racism out of refugee decisions.   

     Make no mistake about it, Republican Congressmen prop up this system. Without their support, Republican Speakers could not prevent votes on DACA or other immigration reform. These votes will never be taken because the same Republican Congressmen that proclaim support for Dreamers also vote to prevent any votes for Dreamers from ever occurring. That way they can give lip service to the Dreamers and the children, while not having to vote on the issue. This is true corruption.

Chicano/Latino Caucus of California Democratic Party