Should we have more protections for people facing detention?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

This bill makes major changes to our immigration system and adds protections around detention of people who are undocumented. Included in this is ending mandatory detentions in certain cases (such as asylum seekers), baring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from giving contracts to for-profit organizations for detention facilities, and bans state and local officers from certain immigration enforcement activities. It further repeals criminal penalties for entering the US, gives judges the ability to stop a removal under certain conditions, and makes it so DHS officers cannot interrogate a person on their immigration status based on race, language, religion, or sexual orientation. Sponsor: Rep. Chuy Garcia (Democrat, Illinois, District 4)
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Opponents say

• “The New Way Forward Act is arguably the most radical piece of immigration legislation in American history. The act shields criminal illegal aliens from deportation, decriminalizes illegal entry, and creates a pathway for deported illegal aliens to return back to the U.S… It’s clear that House Democrats care more about illegal aliens than law-abiding Americans and view criminals as victims” Source: Matthew Tragesser (Spokesman, Federation for American Immigration Reform)
• “Make no mistake: House Democrats have embraced open borders policies… The ideas included in this radical bill, on top of their plans to give free health care to illegal immigrants and abolish ICE, all would jeopardize the security of the nation and reward people who cross the border illegally. On so many important issues, House Democrats have adopted an extreme and socialist agenda that’s wrong for the country.” Source: Rep.Liz Cheney (Republican, Wyoming-At-Large)
• “This immigration bill would totally uproot the rule of law, provide amnesty for illegals here, and import dangerous criminals into the United States. By allowing foreign citizens who committed serious felonies to stay in our country, all Americans would be at risk. And by granting new rights to illegal aliens, the New Way Forward Act would prevent our immigration officials from detaining most illegal immigrants.” Source: Rep. Bradley Byrne (Republican, Alabama, District 1)

Proponents say

• “Too many families in Chicago and around the country have been torn apart by cruel immigration policies… Imagine living with the constant fear of being detained anywhere and deported at any time simply because you fled violence and sought refuge in the U.S. We must end the labels of the ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ immigrant used to dehumanize and divide communities. An attack on one community is an affront to us all. I am proud to introduce the New Way Forward Act to disrupt the prison to deportation pipeline, give all immigrants the dignity of due process, and ensure America remains a nation that welcomes all.” Source: Rep. Chuy Garcia (Democrat, Illinois, District 4)
• “For those of us living in the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, a district that is over 30% immigrant, we know firsthand that the cruel and xenophobic policies coming out of this White House have destabilized families and stoked fear in immigrant communities far beyond the Southern border… Our immigration and criminal injustice systems are deeply and fundamentally intertwined—and have contributed to our nation’s mass incarceration crisis. I am immensely proud to cosponsor the New Way Forward Act – bold legislation that actualizes the values we espouse by keeping families together, advancing racial justice, and protecting due process for everyone, including immigrants.” Source: Rep.Ayanna Pressley (Democrat, Massachusetts, District 7)
• “Our current system of treating immigrants as disposable, unredeemable and subject to deportation after they have completed their sentences did not begin with President Trump. Entire generations of new Americans know the criminal legal and immigration systems are plagued with biased policing, overzealous detention and surveillance policies, and high incarceration rates… As one of 14 naturalized citizens in Congress, I am proud to co-lead the New Way Forward Act, which aims to restore due process for immigrants by ending detention without bail, separating local policing from immigration enforcement, and repealing laws that make migration a crime. New Americans deserve the same rights and dignity as native-born Americans -- a chance to make their own American dream a reality and contribute meaningfully to their communities without fear.” Source: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, Washington, District 7)