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NIJC has a new Chicago address at 111 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60604 and a new email domain at @immigrantjustice.org.

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Contact NIJC Communications Director Tara Tidwell Cullen at (312) 833-2967 or by email.

Statement by Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center
 
Any serious discussion about problems in U.S. refugee and visa programs must include considerations for how to protect people fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries. Unfortunately, today’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing fell short in that regard.
 
While integrity and security of the United States visa process is an important goal, we must not compromise America’s ability to provide protection to those seeking safe haven.  Refugees are subject to the most stringent security and screening measures of any group seeking to enter the United States. Congress must reject hastily drafted anti-refugee bills like H.R. 4038, which passed the House of Representatives in November just two days after its introduction. Congress also must rescind the racial profiling provisions contained in the fiscal year 2016 omnibus appropriations bill which inappropriately discriminate against individuals with nationality from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Syria, and preclude them from participating in the Visa Waiver Program. Passing H.R. 4380, the “Equal Protection in Travel Act,” would be a swift way to repeal these unfair travel restrictions.
 
As a nation of immigrants, the United States has a proud history of welcoming refugees from around the globe. Efforts to ensure safety must specifically address weaknesses and avoid jeopardizing our legacy as a protector of the vulnerable.