WASHINGTON—In response to President Trump and Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA) re-introducing legislation that would slash legal immigration levels in half, People For the American Way Political Director Lizet Ocampo released the following statement:

“Immigrant families helped build our country and contribute enormously not just to our culture but to our economic vitality. But for years Republicans have made it a priority to vilify immigrants and encourage bigotry and prejudice. Let’s be clear: This legislation has absolutely nothing to do with helping our economy and everything to do with playing up the Trump administration’s nativist agenda and boosting support from his base after failing to deliver his campaign promises on health care. President Trump continues to demonstrate that he is willing to abandon our country’s values in order to push his own extreme agenda and score a few political points. ”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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