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Statement from Representative Adriano Espaillat on Reports of Reinstating Migrant Family Detention

March 8, 2023

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Deputy Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), issued the following statement in response to reports that the Biden administration is considering reinstating the practice of detaining migrant families at the border.

“America is a nation of immigrants, and yet, our system to support immigrants and their families remains broken,” said Rep. Espaillat. “I am deeply troubled by reports that the Biden administration is considering the reinstatement of a policy that would detain migrant families as they arrive to our border. As we work to address this crisis, we must move forward to implement solutions that treat families with humanity, and these reports are a reversal of the progress that we have made since the previous administration to stand in solidarity with these families as they seek asylum here in our nation.”

The New York Times first reported the possible restart of the family detention policy, which would revive a Trump-era policy to detain families upon their arrival at the U.S.-Mexico border. Rep. Espaillat has led efforts urging the Biden administration to take more compassionate and humane approaches to addressing the immigration crisis and reiterates his call to address the root causes of migration and the crisis of democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean forcing families to flee their homes.

“Meaning immigration keeps families together and does not tear them apart further when they are at their most vulnerable. I encourage the administration to reconsider these actions and will continue my work with my Democratic colleagues to fight for meaningful immigration reform for asylum seekers and the families here in our nation,” Espaillat concluded.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov