Washington, D.C. — The Value Our Families campaign condemns the Trump administration’s callous and unprecedented suspension of immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries. Under the new policy, nearly half of all legal immigrants would be blocked from entering the country, including immediate family members of U.S. citizens and green card holders—among these are an estimated 100,000 spouses and young children who would be blocked from reuniting with their loved ones. 

“Our immigration system should reflect our values of freedom and unity for all families,” said Rev. Noel Andersen, National Field Director at Church World Service. “Instead, the Trump administration has cruelly pulled the rug out from under legal immigrants around the world, forcing tens of thousands of spouses and children into a painful and unnecessary separation from their loved ones.”

“The visa ban makes clear once more that, for this administration, it has never been about legal immigration or playing by the rules. Rather, this is an all-out assault on immigrants and immigrant families,” said Andersen. “It goes against our ideals as a nation and undermines our future. We should be working to support the reunification of families, not tear them apart.”

“Congress specifically barred discrimination based on national origin in our immigration system as a way to make our laws fairer and more humane. This policy would see us return to past racist biases that we’ve worked so hard to move beyond.” said Andersen. “We urge congressional lawmakers to reassert their legal power and hold accountable a lawless administration dead set on decimating our legal immigration system.”

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The Value Our Families Coalition exists to protect, preserve, and strengthen family immigration. We are a network of community-based and advocacy organizations promoting an immigration system informed by love, empathy, and justice, and rejecting policies that harm immigrant families. We build public support for an immigration system that protects family unity and contributes to this country’s social and economic fabric.