Cities United For Immigration Action: It’s Time To Stop Inserting Political Debates On Immigration Into Appropriations Discussions & Fully Fund DHS

NEW YORK – The coalition of U.S. Mayors, Cities United for Immigration Action (CUIA), today issued the following statement calling for swift action to resolve the Congressional impasse that could shutdown the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when current funding for the department runs out on Friday.

“Our cities are strongly opposed to using the Department of Homeland Security funding process for inappropriate purposes. Separately, as the judicial process unfolds, we are confident the President’s lawful executive actions on immigration will be ultimately upheld, spurring much-needed economic growth nationwide. It's time for Congress to stop inserting political debates about immigration policy into appropriations discussions, and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security to continue providing essential protection for millions of Americans.”

CUIA is a coalition of city governments that stands in support of stronger cities through immigration action. Through CUIA, America’s mayors are shaping the national debate, working together to welcome and embrace new immigrants in support of the President’s executive action on immigration.

In January, Mayors Bill de Blasio of New York City and Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles announced that more than 30 mayors filed a friend-of-the-court brief in this case, Texas vs. United States, in support of President Obama’s recent executive action.

The mayors led the effort to organize more than 30 cities, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors in filing a brief arguing that the public interest across the country is served clearly and overwhelmingly by implementing immigration reform by executive action. The brief also argues that blocking executive action with preliminary injunction will stall desperately needed changes to the federal government’s immigration policies. The cities represented by these mayors together account for approximately 28.2 million people, including 7.5 million immigrants.