Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on H.R. 30
“Domestic violence is a serious offense that affect too many of our communities. As a domestic violence survivor, I know what’s it like to fear for my life. And I know how incredibly difficult and often dangerous it is to come forward to report abuse. Undocumented survivors face even more barriers.
[inartcielad]Current immigration laws already impose immigration bars on those who are convicted of serious crimes, including offenses related to sexual and domestic violence. Under current law, people who are convicted of domestic violence can be deported. And those who are convicted of, or admit to committing, crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault can be deemed inadmissible and not allowed to adjust their immigration status.
In addition to other concerns about needless expansion to include noncriminal conduct or conduct for which no conviction has been made, this legislation lacks protections to ensure undocumented survivors don’t face deportation, which will discourage them from calling the police or reporting their abuser in the first place. And the inadmissibility provisions mean that more immigrant survivors with lawful status will also be affected.
As noted by many respected advocacy groups, this legislation would make vulnerable survivors more vulnerable, putting them at great risk if they act in self-defense or if an abuser makes a false police report. That’s why I stand in opposition to this legislation today and sought to include an amendment that would explicitly protect survivors from deportation. My amendment would provide authority to waive the inadmissibility and deportation provisions of the bill for those who have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty and who were was not the primary perpetrator of violence in the relationship.
The scourge of domestic violence is far too serious to be weaponized for political points. Instead, we need to replenish the Victims of Crimes Act funding which has reached critical lows resulting in cuts to services provided by organizations who serve survivors and their children and help connect them with emergency resources like housing and food. We should advance my proposal, the Protect Moms from Domestic Violence Act to further study homicides as the leading cause of death for pregnant women. Instead of pushing political stunts that only demonize immigrants, this GOP-led Congress should help meet these urgent needs for survivors.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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