Washington (February 7, 2024) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) issued the following statement today after voting no on the immigration policy changes in the national security supplemental package:

“Comprehensive immigration reform requires compromise, and I am ready to do that, but Republicans and Donald Trump clearly will not even when they say they will. We need meaningful pathways to settlement and citizenship, full and fair processing of protection claims, and safeguards for our DREAMers. But in this package, Republicans instead demanded and secured provisions that are contrary to American values, eviscerating due process protections for countless people seeking a better life in the United States, expanding the use of inhumane detention for asylum seekers, and funneling scores of new arrivals into rushed legal proceedings that cannot adequately or fairly assess their claims. Republicans cynically walked away when Donald Trump admitted he preferred to campaign on a broken immigration system as a political issue. I voted no because I am not only against Donald Trump, but also against hateful Trump policies.

“I will continue fighting in partnership with the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Congressional delegation for more funding for Massachusetts to continue to step up and provide services to new arrivals while they await their status determinations. I have met with the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and the FEMA administrator to emphasize the need to secure those funds for the Commonwealth, and I have directly communicated to the White House the urgent need for both substantial emergency funding and expedited work authorizations for new arrivals so that migrants who desperately want to work are able to provide for themselves financially. I will continue to work to get Massachusetts the funding it needs and deserves as our state continues to welcome new arrivals.”

This month, Senator Markey and Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) reintroduced the Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement (GRACE) Act to ensure a U.S. President could not set a Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions below 125,000. In November 2023, ahead of the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), he and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) announced the reintroduction of the Climate Displaced Persons Act (CDPA) to create a more equitable pathway for people displaced by climate change across the globe. In July 2023, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) reintroduced National Office of New Americans Act to establish a National Office of New Americans within the White House to support immigrants and refugees in overcoming common obstacles to naturalization, including language barriers and challenges navigating the search for employment. 

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