ACLU Comment on House GOP Immigration Standards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

WASHINGTON – Today, House Republicans issued their anticipated outline to guide legislative action on immigration reform. Among other things, the standards call for legalization for some of the undocumented and increased border security.

Below is reaction from Laura W. Murphy, director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, on the development:

"The good news is that the House Republicans are moving forward on much needed immigration reform, but some of their standards are highly problematic. Though they include a legalization program, legalization without a meaningful road to citizenship for a large portion of the 11 million aspiring Americans would ignore their contributions to our nation and senselessly create a legal purgatory."

"Any reform also needs to fix what else is broken with our system. To lock up people in deplorable prisons and detention facilities, deny them a right to a lawyer or even a hearing before they are imprisoned or deported is inhumane. Legalization cannot come at the expense of our Constitution and civil liberties. Congress must enact legislation to make our immigration system more fair and just, and return to our constitutional values of inclusion and due process."