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‘People are outraged’: Immigrant advocacy group responds to Trump executive order

D.C. and Maryland are among the localities suing to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship, and an immigrant advocacy group said it’s also planning to challenge it in court.

CASA, which offers services to immigrant and working-class families, is similarly planning to litigate against the executive order “and the ways that it violates the 14th Amendment,” said Cathryn Paul, the group’s policy director.

“This is an extremely harrowing moment for our immigrant families, and despite that, I will say, our community is ready to fight back,” Paul said. “We are gearing up to mobilize. People are outraged, and they don’t want to be subjected to this kind of treatment.”

The which Trump signed Monday night, questions the idea that the 14th amendment offers automatic citizenship to anyone born in the U.S.

Paul said the executive orders announced on Inauguration Day aim to instill fear and that many people are concerned “about creating this generation of second class citizens.”

“People who have worked tirelessly in taking care of our kids and keeping our economy afloat and working in all of our essential jobs are now worried about whether or not they will be able to show up at work and provide for their families every day,” Paul said.

In addition to planning legal action, Paul said the organization is planning to make sure there are protections available in Maryland.

The group is lobbying for several bills in the General Assembly that Paul said would offer protections “To make sure that’s Trump’s mass deportation agenda does not happen in Maryland.”

The Trump administration has also criticized sanctuary cities, places that have minimal or no cooperation with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.

Paul called that critique “another attack on working families,” suggesting that there’s no sanctuary policy that’s prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs.

CASA is working to make sure schools, hospitals and courthouses “are not targets” and that “our data doesn’t get abused,” Paul said.

“Really what we are focused on right now is actually doubling down on these sanctuary cities, doubling down on these sanctuary policies and reminding folks why we pass them to begin with,” Paul said.

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Scott Gelman

Scott Gelman is a digital editor and writer for WTOP. A South Florida native, Scott graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019. During his time in College Park, he worked for The Diamondback, the school’s student newspaper.

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