Congressman Dwight Evans represents Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South and Center City Philadelphia. He was first elected in a special election in November 2016. Before that, he served as a state representative for 36 years, and earned a reputation as a pragmatic leader who knows how to put public policy above politics and make ideas matter. He made history in 1990 when he became the first African-American chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a position he held for two decades.
I am a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. I believe in an immigration reform system that keeps families united and develops a path to citizenship.
The city of Philadelphia has a long history of supporting our bright and vibrant immigrant community and I am proud to say Philly stands with other cities nationwide as a Sanctuary City.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." We have an obligation to build a stronger tomorrow for all members of our communities.
The incredibly aggressive efforts by the Trump Administration to detain and deport law-abiding immigrants when those resources could be allocated to violent offenders represents a misplaced diversion of resources.
I am committed to securing our borders but am exasperated by the talk of building a wall. This idea is offensive and un-American.