(New York, January 25, 2017) — Following the announcement of President Trump’s executive orders targeting immigrants and sanctuary cities, Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven issued the following statement:
“Donald Trump’s latest executive orders are simply un-American. We are not a country that discriminates against people based on religion or nationality. We are not a country that builds walls between ourselves and the rest of the world. As a Jew whose grandparents watched in frustration while President Roosevelt refused to admit refugees from Nazi Germany, I am embarrassed for my country today.
“America is a beacon for LGBT people around the world, and restricting rather than expanding access to our shores harms us all. Donald Trump’s actions may score him points with his political base, but those points will come at the expense of lives lost, families broken apart, and billions of taxpayer dollars wasted.”
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.