FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 26, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) held a press conference where she was joined by her colleague, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (M, as well as African Communities Together and other advocacy groups to recognize World Refugee Day and stand in solidarity with asylum seekers, refugees, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the face of the Trump Administration’s bigoted attacks against them.

“Since the day he took office, President Trump has not rested in his hateful war against the most vulnerable people in the world. Our nation promised them peace, safety, and a future for their families in this nation – a promise that has been utterly and proudly broken by this president. Despite what he may think, America will always be a nation of immigrants. To the asylum seekers and refugees, to young migrant children and their mothers and fathers, to the families fleeing instability in pursuit of generational safety, we see you – and we will never abandon you,” said Congresswoman Clarke.

“The Trump Administration is stripping away our constitutional right to due process, banning refugees and asylum seekers, revoking TPS, and promoting racial profiling. These cruel actions are an assault on our communities and on our very identity as a nation of immigrants. We must continue to come together, show up to protect one another, and push back against these racist policies,” said Congresswoman Tlaib.

“The onslaught on access to asylum from the President’s travel bans and the punitive fees in Congress’s reconciliation bill are unconscionable. It is not a crime to seek asylum, but a human right that should not be reserved for the rich who are able to pay an exuberant $1,000.00 minimum filing fee. Human Rights First will continue to fight for our rights enshrined under U.S. law,” said Yannick Gill, Senior Counsel with Human Rights First.

“The Trump administration’s attacks on Temporary Protected Status are pushing hundreds of thousands of families into the shadows after years of lawfully living and working here,” said Mario Bruzzone, Vice President of Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition. “Because the Trump Administration can’t meet their arbitrary goals of 3,000 deportations a day, they have now shifted to attacking those with legal status as well. More than 86,000 New Yorkers from 17 countries began this year with legal status through TPS — but half of all grants of TPS in the US have been ended or curtailed already. The people affected are regular people who just want to go to work, walk in parks, and play with their kids. We call on the Administration to extend TPS for current countries with upcoming expiration dates, and we call on Congress to build more legal pathways, protect what’s left of our infrastructure, and to stand up for the rights of immigrants.”

“Humanitarian programs like asylum, refugee resettlement, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are the lifelines that have afforded millions of people not just safety, but the opportunity to build new lives, start families, open businesses, and enrich the fabric of our nation. Immigrants’ contributions to this country are unquantifiable, yet we are told we are poisoning the blood of America. We are the lifeblood of America,” said Solomon Ayalew, DMV Chapter Director, African Communities Together.

“As a refugee from Burma who found safety in America, I know our humanitarian programs aren’t just policies — they’re lifelines. Today, we’re witnessing a systematic dismantling of the very programs that define our moral leadership. Refugees and immigrants contribute billions more in taxes than we receive, we build businesses, we strengthen communities. What’s happening now is calculated cruelty designed to reshape who gets to call America home. America’s strength has never come from walls — it comes from our willingness to extend our hand to those in desperate need. America has always been a refuge for the world’s most vulnerable. We cannot let them steal that from us now,” said Myra Dahgaypaw, U.S. Campaign for Burma Advocacy Lead and Refugee Congress Honorary Delegate.

“The simple fact is that 27% of people in the U.S. live in immigrant families. Whether it’s armed kidnappings on the streets or denying health care, food, and other basic needs, the people this administration is hurting are largely U.S. citizens, refugees and asylees fleeing political violence, and other lawfully present immigrants. Our leaders in Congress must rein in this abuse of power before it’s too late,” said Adriana Cadena, Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition

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