Court Ruling Blocks Trump In Move Against Refugees

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The League of United Latin American Citizens issued the following news release:

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- Nation's Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Says Court Ruling Is a Sharp Contrast to Administration's Hard Line

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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), said a federal court decision Tuesday prevents President Trump from expelling refugees seeking asylum from the United States while their case is being decided. The ruling highlights the wide gap between the Administration and the nation's historic handling of arriving immigrants fleeing violence in their own countries.

"We thank Judge Richard Seeborg of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for his courage and fairness," said Domingo Garcia, National President. "His own words remind us all of America's true values and speak loudly against xenophobia and scapegoating immigrants, many of them Latinos," he added.

Judge Seeborg wrote in his decision that the Administration expulsion actions did not include "sufficient safeguards" and that migrants would be returned to places where their "life or freedom would be threatened." The government argued that refugees asylum applicants were simply being returned to Mexican border cities, under a policy known as Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP. However, the judge ruled that refugees should be allowed to enter the United States even if it meant they might be detained until their case is approved or denied.

"This important federal court injunction comes during the same week that LULAC is convening an historic Dreamer Summit in Dallas, Texas where our goal is to come up with a proposal that can win bipartisan Congressional support for a comprehensive solution to immigration," said Garcia. "This case clearly demonstrates how serious the situation has become when President Trump thinks he has the right to throw desperate asylum seeking men, women and children out of the country even if it means they will be harmed or killed. No American should stand for that kind of inhumane treatment just to fulfill a campaign promise. And LULAC will never allow it," he added.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC's programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.