NEWS: Casar, Ramirez, Kamlager-Dove Launch Congressional Caucus to Address Global Migration
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), the Vice Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35), Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), and 21 members of Congress launched a new congressional caucus which aims to find effective, long-term solutions to humanely address irregular and forced migration around the world.
The members of Congress, joined by international migration advocacy organizations, announced at a press conference that the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration will position Congress as an effective ally in building the political will to:
- advance regional and global collaboration; and
- establish partnerships with local and grassroots leaders needed to realize effective, orderly, and humane migration management.
“Instead of blaming families for fleeing violence and chaos, Congress must change the U.S. policies that push people out of their home countries in the first place,” said Congressman Casar. “Immigration doesn’t begin at the border — it starts in people’s home countries. It’s time to start talking about that. I’m proud to co-chair the new Congressional Caucus on Global Migration because a safer, more humane immigration system is only possible with long-term solutions and global collaboration.”
“For too long, Congress’s failed policy choices have played a role in contributing to the irregular and forced displacement of families around the globe. To address the unprecedented levels of global migration today and to ensure communities everywhere are able to thrive, Congress must work on meaningful solutions built on political will, regional partnerships, and a coordinated global approach,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues to affirm there are those of us in Congress who want to be an effective ally to global efforts to create a safer, more equitable world where people can build the life they want and deserve at home. Today, with Congressman Casar, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, and our colleagues, we are changing the narrative, building partnerships, and taking the necessary action to realize a more secure, safe, and sustainable future.”
“Migration is a foreign policy issue that goes beyond the Southern border. Republicans say they want to secure the border yet refuse to engage with our partners to address the root causes of global migration, such as conflict, food insecurity, climate change, political violence, and transnational criminal activity,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “We know that Democrats and Republicans can work together to resettle migrants from across the globe — there was bipartisan action to provide resettlement support for Ukrainian refugees. However, we aren’t seeing that same support when it comes to Africa, which is home to a third of the world’s refugee population and the world's largest internal displacement crisis in Sudan. My district in Los Angeles is home to a large and vibrant diaspora population of immigrants from across the globe. My constituents’ lived experiences inform my passion for this issue, and I look forward to finding new ways to celebrate and uplift these communities as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration.”
Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP-00), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowski (IL-09), Adam Smith (WA-09), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) serve as founding members of the congressional caucus.
The caucus has the support of international and national immigration advocacy groups like the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA), Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, Justice in Motion, Justice is Global, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), and Stimson Center.
The website for the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration can be found here.
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Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.