Washington (January 215, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after President Donald Trump signed two new executive orders on immigration. 

“Today, Lady Liberty weeps at Donald Trump’s executive actions that fly in the face of our nation’s history as a beacon to those seeking a better life in America.  Emma Lazarus’ poetic inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty does not say ‘send back your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’  Building a border wall, detaining families and children at our border, and turning back asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution are un-American policies and are antithetical to our time-honored values.

“Donald Trump’s executive orders will result in raids, mass deportations, and fear and terror within our immigrant communities. These policies won’t make America great or safer; they will isolate us and undermine our standing in the world. 

“We need to keep our borders safe and secure, but they should also be open, keeping with our history and values. We are a nation of immigrants, and we must celebrate the diversity and opportunity that our nation embodies. I will fight President Trump’s efforts to unfairly target and persecute the most vulnerable among us in Massachusetts and in communities across the country.”