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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Elyssa Pachico | +1 503 347 23 29 | press@alianzaamericas.org
Myneilles Negron | +1 703 585 6727 | mynellies@communicationsshop.us
Chicago, October 4, 2022 — In an opinion piece published last week by NBC News, Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas, discusses the opportunities presented by the ongoing lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis contra el gobernador de la Florida, Ron DeSantis and other officials implicated in the fraudulent transfer of migrants and asylum seekers who were unceremoniously sent to Matha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, as part of a political stunt.
Alongside a group of migrants, Alianza Americas is plaintiff in a suit filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) that seeks to halt these types of fraudulent transfers throughout the country. Other elected officiales have used this scheme to send migrants and asylum seekers to cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York, within a political context that seeks to use migrants as political pawns ahead of the November midterms.
For Chacón, the Martha’s Vineyard case is an opportunity to re-examine the fundamental role that immigrants play in promoting the well-being of all in the United States, and is a chance to re-open the conversation about how we can build an immigration system that recognizes the value of people who migrate. “The Martha’s Vineyard lawsuit is a chance for us to revisit the conversation about whether we are truly prepared to honor our promise of being a country that welcomes immigrants,” wrote Chacón in his op-ed.
“Right now, our immigration system pours incredible resources into keeping immigrants away rather than recognizing them for what they are: powerful agents for good,” the op-ed states, adding, “We should [provide] work permits for asylum-seekers as expeditiously as possible. Instead of having them wait for months for the legal right to work, we need to empower asylum-seekers to support themselves economically and integrate fully into their communities. It’s ironic that amid a labor shortage, we are trying to make life impossible for people who hope to come to the U.S. and do what they’ve done for decades. Namely, to help generate incredible wealth for the country.”
Read the full op-ed here.
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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America. Alianza’s digital organizing powerhouse is Presente.org.
