WASHINGTON –Juliet K. Choi, executive vice president of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and former chief of staff of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, issued the following statement on President Trump’s Executive Order halting immigration for 60 days by suspending permanent residency visas, also known as green cards.
“In the midst of this public health global pandemic, President Trump’s Executive Order does nothing to help American workers, but scapegoats immigrants.
It is disappointing that instead of unifying the country during this challenging time, the Trump administration has continued their routine to demonize and act against immigrants, many of whom are already living in the United States. During a time when worldwide travel is on hold, the President’s action is using the pandemic to deliver on his discriminatory policy agenda, which has targeted immigrants at every turn.
Immigrant owned small businesses and workers have always been the backbone of our economy and will be vital to our economic recovery. Suspending green cards will neither boost the economy nor save American lives. What will help our nation is fact-based evidence to make decisions, employing proper physical distancing, increasing language access for health information and health care workers, expanding coverage of COVID-19 testing and treatment and always supporting our first responders and health care workers.”
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The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.