In reaction to President Trump’s plans to suspend immigration, Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America, made the following statement:

“President Trump’s plan to ban immigrants from the US is hateful and un-American. It demonstrates that there is no pretext too flimsy for him to use as an excuse to fulfill his radical xenophobic agenda.

"This country was founded and enriched by immigrants and refugees over generations. Today, recent immigrants are working hand in hand with the children of yesterday’s immigrants on the front lines of the COVID19 pandemic, from doctors and nurses to grocery store clerks and postal carriers. The President cannot erase this legacy and these vital contributions with a tweet.

“Try as he might, President Trump cannot distract from his own administration’s failures to respond to a pandemic that is killing people every single day.

“Once again, when his back is against the wall, President Trump responds by seeking to fuel the flames of hatred and bigotry by scapegoating immigrants. We won’t let him do that.

“From his first days as President, Donald Trump has pushed his xenophobic and anti-immigrant agenda, starting with the Muslim Ban and continuing in his efforts to turn away people fleeing violence and persecution. And from those first days, we showed up at the airports, in the streets, and up in front of the White House to remind him that his policies do not reflect America’s values.

“Rather than attacking people who are an essential part of our nation, the Trump administration should focus on what’s truly needed to combat the virus: investments in rapid testing kits and treatment, policies to protect everyone from the impact of COVID19, and greater international collaboration to put an end to this global pandemic before it claims even more lives.

“Immigrant communities are already living in fear after years of hateful policies that have separated families and stoked divisions. As with any crisis, this pandemic is having a disproportionate effect on the most marginalized and exacerbating existing inequalities. The cruel irony is that it is these same marginalized communities are the backbone of our response to this pandemic.

“We will continue to fight back against any and all policies that seek to divide us and stoke fear. And we will continue to respond to the President’s attempts to divide us by coming together to support and defend the immigrant community and everyone targeted by this administration.”