Endorsed by African American Ministers In Action (AAMIA), Alianza Americas, Alliance for Citizenship, American Federation of Teachers, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF),
Asian Americans, Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, Campaign for Hoosier Families, CASA, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Colectiva Legal del Pueblo,
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Farmworker Justice, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Inc. (FLIC), Human Rights Watch, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Interfaith Worker Justice, Latino, Commission on AIDS, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Massachusetts
Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Mi Familia Vota, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA),
National Council of Jewish Women, National Council of La Raza, National Education Association, National Immigrant Justice Center, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New York Immigration Coalition, Northwest Immigrant
Rights Project, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, PFLAG National, Project South, Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), Service Employees International Union, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), Southern Poverty
Law Center, Tahirih Justice Center, Transgender Law Center, and We Belong Together

Dear Colleague:

Please join us in becoming a cosponsor of the Protecting the Rights of Towns against federal Enforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act, or the PROTECT Immigration Act. The bill would repeal the statutory authority of the
287(g) Program to ensure that federal immigration law is enforced by the federal government, not local and state authorities. It would also clarify that state and local law enforcement lack “inherent authority” to arrest people for suspected immigration offenses.
To read the full text of the bill
click here.

For over 100 years, the Supreme Court decision in Truax v. Raich has made clear that “[t]he authority to control immigration…is vested solely in the Federal Government.” Despite this ruling, legislation was enacted in 1996 that allows the federal
government to delegate some immigration enforcement responsibilities to state and local law enforcement authorities. During his tenure, President Obama made attempts to limit the scope of the 287(g) Program, however President Trump has already called to revive
the program through his executive order issued on January 25, 2017.

It is our belief that enforcement of immigration laws should not be delegated to local and state police for numerous reasons. Not only does this require local law enforcement to divert time and resources away from deterring violent crime, it also drives
a wedge between police and the communities they serve. Furthermore, the 287(g) Program fosters the opportunity for racial profiling by law enforcement, a practice antithetical to our national values.

We must work toward meaningful, bipartisan legislation that allows local law enforcement agencies to focus their limited resources on protecting our communities, not enforcing federal immigration policy. Should you have any questions regarding the bill,
or you would like to cosponsor, please contact Brooke Stuedell (brooke.stuedell@mail.house.gov or 5-4061) in my office.

Sincerely,

Mike Quigley

Member of Congress

Pramila Jayapal

Member of Congress