Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Calls Out President Trump’s Attacks on Communities of Color in Remarks in Joint Session to Congress

Contact

Aleisha Flores (771)-233-8202 aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org

aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Last night, President Trump delivered his first remarks to a joint session of Congress since taking office six weeks ago. In his speech, the President addressed what he and his administration consider “progress” and outlined his racist and xenophobic vision for America’s future. The President’s speech, which was full of baseless claims, downplayed the harm his administration has already caused to marginalized communities, including Asian Americans, and painted a chilling picture of what is to come. What President Trump wants is a future that will tear families apart while reducing opportunities for education, access to a safe workplace, and limiting the rights of the majority for the benefit of the privileged few. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian American Justice Center (Advancing Justice – AAJC) stands firm in our commitment to support the communities we serve in the face of the administration’s dangerous policies.  

Immigration: Advancing Justice – AAJC denounces President Trump’s cruel attacks on our immigrant families, neighbors, and loved ones. Trump’s inflammatory and false descriptions of our immigrant communities are a deliberate attempt to vilify immigrants, and scapegoat communities of color under the guise of protecting national security. Trump’s racist rhetoric undermines our national security by sowing fear and division while also undercutting humane immigration policies proven to increase public safety. That’s why Advancing Justice – AAJC decried Congress’ passage of the Laken Riley Act¹, which exploited Laken Riley’s death to accelerate Trump’s agenda of detention, deportation, and separation of families.  

President Trump made clear in his address that he wants to bring us back to past, instead of looking toward the future. Racist ideas of who “belongs” in the U.S. have been used for well over a century to target, imprison, and otherwise hurt communities of color and immigrant communities, including Asian Americans. Instead of promising to reform our immigration laws so that they work for our communities, our families, and the realities of the modern world, President Trump is instead focused on security theater and harmful immigration enforcement. We will continue to fight the Administration’s efforts to grow our country’s bloated, unnecessary, and inhumane immigration enforcement regime, and to fight for our immigrant communities.  

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility: Advancing Justice – AAJC condemns Trump’s continued attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) policies in the federal government, military and private sector. These programs counter discrimination and enable individuals from underrepresented communities to thrive. The need to protect equitable access to opportunities prompted Advancing Justice – AAJC and a coalition of partners to file a lawsuit² challenging the President’s executive orders terminating DEIA programs in government. In a crucial victory, a federal district court in Maryland recently upheld the preliminary injunction³ that blocks the orders from taking effect. 

The executive order mandating English as the official language of the U.S. undermines language access⁴ and threatens programs that aid limited English proficient (LEP) individuals to access essential services such as healthcare. We will continue to litigate, advocate and mobilize against any policies that threaten to reverse decades of progress in ensuring equitable access to opportunities. We will not stand by while the Trump administration targets and marginalizes our communities.    

###