Since the founding of this nation, immigrants have been integral to the development and diversity that makes America so unique. Many immigrants and refugees, like myself, have escaped war, oppression and socioeconomic strife in our homelands to seek better opportunities in the United States.

But sadly, our nation's immigration system is fundamentally unjust and tragically inhumane. Instead of extending humanity and compassion to migrants and refugees, we treat them as criminals. There is no need for children to be put in cages. There is no need to fund an expensive wall that only stands for hate and bigotry. There is no need to the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency routinely crack down on innocent immigrants in a brutal and militarized fashion. My position will always be to establish a just immigration system that welcomes and protects all human beings, never treating anyone as a presumed criminal, no matter their ethnicity, religion, or any other orientation.

In Congress, I continue to push for ICE to be abolished and replaced with an agency that can defend our national security without criminalizing and brutalizing vulnerable communities. I am also steadfastly fighting to prevent even one more dollar from going to the Department of Homeland Security that could be used for the continued vilification of immigrants or other practices that violate the fundamental values we hold as a country.

I'm also fighting for a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, TPS holders, and DED recipients. I am committed to doing all I can to help the over 11 million undocumented immigrations living in the United States come out of the shadows and get access to rights and privileges they deserve. Just as importantly, we cannot continue to ignore the plight of migrants and refugees, which is why I'm pushing for a return to our historical role as a leader in refugee resettlement and reform of our existing policies abroad that are causing people to flee their homes for a safer future.