Public Policy Immigrants’ Rights

MALDEF Statement on Passing of California Latino Activist and Advocate Nativo Lopez  

LOS ANGELES – Please attribute the following statement marking the passing of Nativo Lopez, an outspoken activist who established the Santa Ana chapter of Hermandad Mexicana National and spoke out on behalf of immigrants’ rights, to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of  MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund):

MALDEF Responds to Rebuke of Trump’s Emergency Border Declaration

LOS ANGELES – Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) issued the statement below in response to a bipartisan Senate vote today rejecting Donald J. Trump’s unlawful emergency declaration at the Southwestern border. A similar resolution passed the House of Representatives last month.

MALDEF Statement in Support of the Dream and Promise Act

Washington, D.C. – Lawmakers have introduced HR 6 – the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 – a bill that would provide a humane and sensible path to legalization for immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and currently have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, (DACA), as well as those granted Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) and Temporary Protected Status, (TPS) because of civil war or natural disasters in their home countries.

MALDEF STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REQUEST FOR U.S. SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER DACA INITIATIVE

LOS ANGELES – The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday to bypass the federal appeals process and rule on its efforts to the end the DACA initiative. Please attribute the following statement on the importance of voting today to push back against the Trump administration’s nativist and anti-immigrant policies to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund):

MALDEF Statement on Citizenship Guarantees Under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

LOS ANGELES – Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), released the following statement today in response to Donald J. Trump’s incorrect assertion that the Constitutional guarantee of citizenship to all persons born in the United States can be eliminated by executive order:

MALDEF Statement on Trump Administration’s Anti-Immigrant “Public Charge” Policy

LOS ANGELES – Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), issued the following statement today in response to the Trump administration’s proposed new rule that seeks to impose unprecedented and alarming limits on legal immigration and punish immigrants who legally access public services:

Defending DACA

LOS ANGELES — Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), issued the following statement on the Trump administration’s announcement one year ago today ordering the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative:

Anti-Immigrant State Legislation and Ordinances

MALDEF staff members are at the forefront of efforts to protect Latinos against divisive and unconstitutional anti-immigrant measures in legislatures, the U.S. Congress and the courts. Nationally, MALDEF is involved in monitoring and raising awareness of anti-immigrant local ordinances and state laws in places as varied as Cherokee County, Georgia; Valley Park, Missouri; Farmers Branch, Texas; Phoenix Arizona; Prince William County, Virginia; Cobb County, Georgia; and Carpentersville, Illinois.