Last night the nation's direction changed. Donald J. Trump was elected president, defeating Hillary Clinton with an unapologetically anti-immigrant and anti-refugee platform.
We are heartbroken for our community, for undocumented, Mexican, Muslim, and refugee friends and members, who were the targets of so much hate. If President-elect Trump keeps his promises then 750,000 undocumented youth whose lives were changed by DACA will lose it; we will no longer resettle Muslim refugees fleeing horrendous violence; there will be a "deportation force" destroying millions of families; and we will build a wall along our border with Mexico.
At NPNA we believe America's success is rooted in our ongoing commitment to welcoming and integrating newcomers into the fabric of our nation, and to upholding equality and opportunity as fundamental American values. New Americans are central to what has made this country great for generations.
We have gained so much strength and our groups contributed to a surge in naturalizations: nearly one million eligible immigrants applied to become citizens in the past year. As we chart our course forward with you, our partners and allies, we will work harder than ever to organize, defend, advocate for, express solidarity with, and love our communities. And to reach the tens of millions of our neighbors who want to work towards a more vibrant, just, and welcoming democracy for all.
We want to invite you to the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Nashville this December 11-13.Over 1,000 leaders will gather for unity and strategic engagement. We have a wonderful lineup of thought leaders joining us, including: Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (IL), Mexican Ambassador Carlos Sada, Deepak Bhargava, Maria Elena Durazo, Nisha Agrawal, Tia Oso , and Cristina Jimenez. This will be a critical moment to come together.
In solidarity,
Eva Millona, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Steven Choi, New York Immigration Coalition
Joshua Hoyt and Tara Raghuveer, National Partnership for New Americans