Congressman Meeks Hosts Immigration Town Hall in Cambria Heights

Cambria Heights, NY - On Saturday evening, September 21st, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks hosted a town hall meeting at the Sacred Heart Catholic Academy. The event was coordinated in partnership with Haitian-American United for Progress (HAUP), an organization that serves the local Haitian community in Queens and Nassau County.

Nearly a hundred residents of the community attended the town hall to receive the latest update of the current immigration policies under the Trump Administration. The Congressman provided an update on several immigration developments, including the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs set to expire this coming January, the Public Charge rule, family separation and multi-pronged attacks on asylum seekers.

"There is no question that this administration is trying to make immigration, legal or otherwise, as painful as possible for immigrants of color. Whether it is denying TPS, separating families, or using raids to spread fear and terror, President Trump's racist agenda is a threat to our community and neighbors," said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks.

"Though Democrats have responded to every attack on immigration with legislation, Senator McConnell and the threat of a veto pen have made the Senate a legislative graveyard. Thankfully, we've succeeded in challenging many of these policies in the courts. I recently joined New York State Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit against the administration's Public Charge rule, which seeks to deny immigrants green cards and visas, just for using services they're legally entitled to. No family should have to feel intimidated from using services to help feed their child or get medical help."

During the event, Haitian-American United for Progress shared a report of their visit to the ICE Adelanto Detention Facility in California. HAUP, relayed to the crowd the "inhumane" conditions faced by detainees in the facility. Additionally, they noted the large influx of Haitian immigrants currently in limbo in Mexican cities such as Tijuana, who have been denied asylum in the US.

"This administration is using cruelty as a weapon, separating families and putting people's lives on hold. We are seeing people detained for long periods of time as they wait longer and longer for their asylum claims to be heard. We thank Congressman Meeks for inviting us to come share our story of what we've seen, and to have an honest discussion with the community about what is happening under the Trump administration," said Elsie Saint Louis, CEO of Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP).

Rep. Meeks recently led a Congressional delegation to an ICE facility in New Jersey, where he and his colleagues toured the facility and spoke with asylum seekers who've waited over a year for their case to be heard.

"Our continued success," Rep Meeks continued, "will ultimately require winning back the Senate, and making sure the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania is one that shares the values symbolized by the Statue of Liberty."