New Jersey Globe Debate: Andy Kim on Immigration

February 18, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Jersey Globe Debate: Andy Kim on Immigration

RED BANK, NJ – At tonight’s debate, U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Murphy laid out her position on immigration, while Andy Kim spent time trying to back peddle his abhorrent voting record when he refused to stand up to Trump and voted with MAGA Republicans to fund the border wall and keep kids in cages.

Here are the facts:

Andy Kim Voted With MAGA Republicans Against Stopping Kids From Being Caged At U.S. Military Bases

Andy Kim Voted For A Border Aid Bill That Did Not Include Any “Additional Protections For Migrant Children” After Reports Of Kids Being Kept In Cages

June 2019: Andy Kim Voted For A Border Aid Bill That Did Not Include Any “Additional Protections For Migrant Children”

June 2019: Kim Voted For The Senate Version Of The “Emergency Supplemental Appropriations For Humanitarian Assistance And Security At The Southern Border Act,” Which Authorized $4.6 Billion In Supplemental Funding For Border Aid. According to Congress.gov, Kim voted for a Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment on H.R. 3401, “Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019.” The amendment would “authorize a total of $4.6 billion in supplemental fiscal 2019 appropriations to address humanitarian concerns for migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.” The motion was agreed to by a vote of 305-102. [HR 3401, Vote #429, 6/27/19; Congress.gov, accessed 2/26/20; CQ, 6/27/19]

President Trump Signed The “Emergency Supplemental Appropriations For Humanitarian Assistance And Security At The Southern Border Act” Into Law On July 1, 2019. [HR 3401, Vote #429, 6/27/19; Congress.gov, accessed 2/26/20; CQ, 6/27/19]

The Bill Did Not Include Any “Additional Protections For Migrant Children.” “House Democrats will vote Thursday on a clean Senate-passed bill to address the border crisis, marking a blow to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and liberal lawmakers who had demanded additional protections for migrant children. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a border lawmaker, announced the plan as he emerged from an emergency meeting in Pelosi’s office in the Capitol. And other lawmakers said Democratic leaders are already whipping the $4.6 billion Senate proposal.” [The Hill, 6/27/19]

The Bill Was Passed After Reports Of Children Being Detained By United States Immigration Authorities In “Cages”

HEADLINE: “In the Freezer Abusive Conditions for Women and Children in US Immigration Holding Cells” [Human Rights Watch, 2/28/18]

February 2018: Human Rights Watch Released A Report About Migrant Women And Children Being Held By United States Immigration Authorities In Facilities That Resembled Cages, And Were Compared To “Dog Kennels.” “United States immigration authorities routinely detain men, women, and children, including infants, in frigid holding cells, sometimes for days, when they are taken into custody at or near the US border with Mexico. Migrants and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents alike commonly refer to these cells as hieleras (“freezers”). […] Women travelling with children are usually transferred to one of three ICE family detention centers, two in Texas and one in Pennsylvania,[11] sometimes after an intermediate period of detention in the Centralized Processing Center-Ursula, a CBP processing facility in McAllen that many refer to as the perrera (“dog kennel”) because its cells are separated by chain-link fencing and resemble cages.[12] Adult men are transferred to other detention facilities, meaning that fathers and adult siblings are separated from mothers and children under the age of 18.” [Human Rights Watch, 2/28/18]

HEADLINE: “In Their Own Words, Migrant Children Describe Horrific Conditions At Border Patrol Facilities” [HuffPost, 6/28/19]

“My Baby Was Naked With No Blanket.” ― A 16-year-old mother from Honduras Described Being Kept WIth Her Baby In A “Three Sided Cage.” “‘My baby was naked with no blanket’ ― A 16-year-old mother from Honduras ‘We were put into a three sided cage with the fourth side open to the outside filled with loads of people. We had to wait for someone to stand up and quickly take their place on the ground. My [8-month-old] baby was naked outside with no blanket for all four days we were there. We were freezing. My baby couldn’t sleep because the ground was cement with rocks and everytime she moved the sharp ground would scratch her. There were many pregnant women who had to sleep on rocks and I felt very badly for them. My baby began vomiting and having diarrhea. I asked to see a doctor and they did not take us. I asked again the next day and the guard said ‘She doesn’t have the face of a sick baby. She doesn’t need to see a doctor.’” [HuffPost, 6/28/19]

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Criticized The Bill For Not Stopping “The Abuse And Detention Of Children”

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Called The Bill “A Betrayal Of Our American Values,” And Criticized The Bill For Not Stopping “The Abuse And Detention Of Children.” “The passage of the Senate supplemental bill is a betrayal of our American values. This bill – opposed by the Hispanic Caucus and nearly 100 Democratic members of the House — will not stop the Trump Administration’s chaos and cruelty. It will not stop the abuse and detention of children. It will not stop the rampant human rights abuses in government custody. It will not stop the Trump Administration from tearing families apart and turning away asylum-seekers. As a result, migrants will continue to die. ‘When the Congressional Hispanic Caucus members see suffering at the border, we see our children and our grandchildren. What happened today is unacceptable, and we will not forget this betrayal. Moving forward, we will continue fighting for immigrants to be treated with dignity and respect, work to end Trump’s deportation agenda, and fix our broken immigration system.” [Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Press Release, 6/27/19]

Andy Kim Voted Against A Measure To Ban The Detention Of Undocumented Immigrants At Military Installations After The Trump Administration Announced Plans To Detain Immigrant Children At Military Installations

Kim Was One Of 58 Democrats Who Voted Against A Measure That Would Bar DoD Funding From Being Used To Detain Undocumented Immigrants At Military Installations

July 2019: Kim Voted Against An Amendment Barring Defense Department Funding From Being Used To Provide Housing For Detained Undocumented Immigrants. According to the House Clerk, Kim voted against an Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., amendment that would prohibit the use of funds authorized by the bill for the Defense Department to provide housing in department facility for any detained undocumented immigrant. The motion failed the House on July 12, 2019 by a vote of 173-245, with 0 voting present and 20 not voting. 172 Democrats and 1 Republicans voted for the motion, while 58 Democrats and 187 Republicans voted against the motion. [H.R. 2500, Vote #468, 7/12/19; Congress.gov, accessed 11/29/23; CQ, 7/12/19]

172 Democrats And 1 Republicans Voted For The Amendment, While 58 Democrats And 187 Republicans Voted Against It. According to the House Clerk, Kim voted against an Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., amendment that would prohibit the use of funds authorized by the bill for the Defense Department to provide housing in department facility for any detained undocumented immigrant. The motion failed the House on July 12, 2019 by a vote of 173-245, with 0 voting present and 20 not voting. 172 Democrats and 1 Republicans voted for the motion, while 58 Democrats and 187 Republicans voted against the motion. [H.R. 2500, Vote #468, 7/12/19; Congress.gov, accessed 11/29/23; CQ, 7/12/19]

The Amendment, Offered By Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Would Have Barred The Department Of Defense’s Funds From Being Used To Detain Undocumented Immigrants At Military Installations

The Amendment, Offered By Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Would Have Barred The Department Of Defense’s Funds From Being Used To Detain Undocumented Immigrants At Military Installations. CQ News reported, “Remaining amendments from Reps. Sylvia R. Garcia, D-Texas, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., would bar the military from housing migrant children and prohibit the president from deploying troops to the border to enforce immigration laws and from using Defense Department funds to detain undocumented immigrants at military installations. ‘Kids are not prisoners of war. They do not belong on military bases, they do not belong in tents, they do not belong in cages. They belong in the arms of their mothers and with their families,’ said Garcia. ‘It is our broken immigration system that keeps children locked up, and it is inhumane, it is cruel, and it is unconscionable.’” [CQ News, 7/11/19]

Rep. Sylvia Garcia: “Kids Are Not Prisoners Of War. They Do Not Belong On Military Bases, They Do Not Belong In Tents, They Do Not Belong In Cages. They Belong In The Arms Of Their Mothers And With Their Families… It Is Our Broken Immigration System That Keeps Children Locked Up, And It Is Inhumane, It Is Cruel, And It Is Unconscionable.” CQ News reported, “Remaining amendments from Reps. Sylvia R. Garcia, D-Texas, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., would bar the military from housing migrant children and prohibit the president from deploying troops to the border to enforce immigration laws and from using Defense Department funds to detain undocumented immigrants at military installations. ‘Kids are not prisoners of war. They do not belong on military bases, they do not belong in tents, they do not belong in cages. They belong in the arms of their mothers and with their families,’ said Garcia. ‘It is our broken immigration system that keeps children locked up, and it is inhumane, it is cruel, and it is unconscionable.’” [CQ News, 7/11/19]

Kim Said He Opposed Subjecting Children To “Inhumane Conditions,” But Voted Against An Amendment That His Colleagues Said Would Protect Children From Inhumane Conditions

Kim Said He Opposed Subjecting Children To “Inhumane Conditions,” But Voted Against An Amendment That His Colleagues Said Would Protect Children From Inhumane Conditions. “The conditions we’ve seen at the border are unacceptable and action was needed now before funding ran out and the situation became unthinkable. It should be a priority of this Congress to make sure that no child is subjected to inhumane conditions for one day longer. This bipartisan compromise will provide immediate relief to those in need, but it won’t fix the broken immigration system that has led us down this path. We can have an immigration system that reflects our values and secures our border. We can have an immigration system that provides opportunity and security. I hope we can put partisanship aside and work together for real, common-sense solutions so we’re not simply addressing the same emergency situation again once this funding runs out.” [Rep. Andy Kim, Press Release, 7/10/19]

Rep. Sylvia Garcia: “Kids Are Not Prisoners Of War. They Do Not Belong On Military Bases, They Do Not Belong In Tents, They Do Not Belong In Cages. They Belong In The Arms Of Their Mothers And With Their Families… It Is Our Broken Immigration System That Keeps Children Locked Up, And It Is Inhumane, It Is Cruel, And It Is Unconscionable.” CQ News reported, “Remaining amendments from Reps. Sylvia R. Garcia, D-Texas, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., would bar the military from housing migrant children and prohibit the president from deploying troops to the border to enforce immigration laws and from using Defense Department funds to detain undocumented immigrants at military installations. ‘Kids are not prisoners of war. They do not belong on military bases, they do not belong in tents, they do not belong in cages. They belong in the arms of their mothers and with their families,’ said Garcia. ‘It is our broken immigration system that keeps children locked up, and it is inhumane, it is cruel, and it is unconscionable.’” [CQ News, 7/11/19]

May 2018: The Trump Administration Announced Plans To Hold Unaccompanied Immigrant Children At Military Bases

May 2018 HEADLINE: “Trump administration preparing to hold immigrant children on military bases” [Washington Post, 5/15/18]

May 2018: The Trump Administration Announced Plans To Hold Unaccompanied Immigrant Children At Military Bases. “The Trump administration is making preparations to hold immigrant children on military bases, according to Defense Department communications, the latest sign the government is moving forward with plans to split up families who cross the border illegally. According to an email notification sent to Pentagon staffers, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will make site visits at four military installations in Texas and Arkansas during the next two weeks to evaluate their suitability to shelter children. The bases would be used for minors under 18 who arrive at the border without an adult relative or after the government has separated them from their parents. HHS is the government agency responsible for providing minors with foster care until another adult relative can assume custody.” [Washington Post, 5/15/18]

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