Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, President Donald Trump made racist and disparaging remarks amid bipartisan negotiations on a deal for DACA. Danyelle Solomon, director of Progress 2050 at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement in response:
As we reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., a man assassinated fighting for justice and equality, President Trump once again expressed racist and hateful comments about people of color. Time and time again, whether it’s his rhetoric or his policy choices, the president has targeted people of color. From his degrading comments about former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, to calling all Mexicans rapists, to validating white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia, as good people, President Trump has shown nothing but disrespect and disregard for people of color. There is a clear link between his racist rhetoric and his racist policy choices. Today and every day, we need to stand up against this hate, bigotry, and racism. Let us stay focused on real solutions for Dreamers and immigrants from all nations. We should not let this derogatory comment derail the progress on the horizon, and we should never let anyone attempt to limit the promise of America to only certain countries or certain people based on color or race. We must stand together and fight back.
Tom Jawetz, vice president for Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, added:
The president’s comments yesterday—and his continued defense of them today—are outside the bounds of civil discourse. They are racism unmasked. But the time for talk is over. We don’t need more elected officials gnashing their teeth over the crudeness of Trump’s remarks; we need them standing up to fight back against his actions. Nearly 16,000 DACA recipients have already lost protection from deportation. In the months ahead, more than one million Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status holders will similarly lose that protection. By next Friday, members of Congress will once again have to decide whether to stand on principle and protect Dreamers or appropriate funds to deport them from the only country they have ever known. The country is watching.
CAP experts are available to speak on this topic. To coordinate, please contact Elena Gaona at [email protected] or 202-478-6322.