Andre Carson

Please don’t believe the cries from many immigration opponents that our country is full. It’s simply not true. One of America’s founding ideals is that this nation is the home of freedom and opportunity for all, including the immigrant, the refugee, the asylee. Sometimes, our policies don’t always live up to this core value, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t always strive to embody it. Our national identity is not racial, religious, or cultural: it’s based on our shared commitment to the promise of America and expressed in the belief that everyone is equal and welcome.

Centuries of immigration from all corners of the globe have continually enriched and strengthened the diverse tapestry of our nation, making it more vibrant. These immigrants, refugees, and asylees have helped us become an industrial innovator, a leader on the world stage, and an inspiration of global culture and the arts. Each generation of immigrants to our country has truly made America great.

Unfortunately, Donald Trump does not share this vision. He began his presidential campaign arguing that Mexicans are racists and drug dealers, proposing a ban on Muslim migrants, and repeatedly undermining our status as a beacon of freedom. President Trump has misused his powers to implement his bigoted worldview and spew intolerance from the highest office in the land.

One of the president’s first acts upon taking office was to illegally ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. This action was followed by a concerted plan to chip away at long-held immigration practices for immigrants, asylees and refugees. This includes extreme vetting measures that resulted in slowing down the processing of green cards and citizenship applications and using the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as an enforcement arm of the administration.

Additionally, the Trump administration has worked to limit immigrants’ legal due process protections and block asylum seekers at border check points and ports of entry, which is now being challenged in the federal courts. The Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy at the border has led to horrific family separations and worsening detention conditions.

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The latest reporting indicates that the administration may institute an unappealable deportation policy that could endanger the rights of immigrants and citizens and continue its attacks on lawful residents. Recently, a Texas-born American citizen was unjustly detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials for 23 days where he was held in deplorable conditions. He also says he was denied a call to his family or attorney.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration took its anti-immigrant agenda to a new level by announcing a rule aimed at limiting legal immigration to our country by amending what is known as the “public charge rule.” This policy would make it harder for immigrants to obtain legal residency if they are deemed more likely to use public assistance like food stamps and Medicaid. It’s a new low in this ongoing assault, not only on immigrants, but also on America’s reputation as a beacon to those in need.

The administration’s attacks on refugees is perhaps one of the most shameful pieces of this agenda. According to the United Nations, there are nearly 71 million refugees worldwide — the highest level on record. During President Barack Obama’s last year in office, America admitted 110,000 refugees from some of the most destabilized and war-torn countries in the world. However, the Trump administration has slashed this program and only plans to admit 30,000 in fiscal year 2019. And it is reported that it may admit zero next year.

This is a moral abdication and a national disgrace, and it certainly goes against the Hoosier values of kindness and compassion toward our fellow human beings. Indiana is enriched by refugees. They are our friends, families, neighbors, coworkers and classmates.

Our country is at a crossroads. Hoosiers, and all Americans, must make a choice: Will we quietly allow the divisive practices of this administration that close our doors to new Americans? Or will we demand inclusive policies that affirm our nation’s legacy of freedom, opportunity, and diversity? As Americans, the choice is ours, and together we must unite to enact change. We simply can’t let Lady Liberty’s welcoming flame be extinguished.

Democrat Andre Carson is a U.S. Representative for Indiana's 7th District.