Serrano Blasts GOP “Count Immigrants Out” Constitutional Amendment Proposal

Today, Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY) ripped into the latest of a string of recent Republican immigrant-bashing proposals, this one a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would change the wording of the 14th Amendment to bar the counting of all non-citizens—including legal residents—in the district apportionment process.

“The Republicans just won’t stop the double-speak,” said Serrano.  “They go around talking about their love for Latinos and for immigrants, and then they turn around and push a measure like this.  This measure will disenfranchise Latino communities.”

The amendment, proposed by Candice Miller (R-MI), seeks to change the word “persons” to “citizens” in the 14th Amendment.  Miller presents the change as a stab against illegal immigration, but her change would actually affect all non-citizen immigrants, including legal immigrants. 

“The Framers of the 14th Amendment were very explicit when they determined that the Congressional apportionment system should count everyone,” said Serrano.  “This Republican proposal will affect immigrants of all stripes by diluting the representation of high immigrant communities.  I will oppose this amendment and call on those concerned with fairness in our democracy to help fight its passage.”

The Miller amendment would seriously reduce the number of majority-Latino congressional districts in the country and would cut seats from ethnically and ideologically diverse states such as New York and California, shifting them instead to a handful of overwhelmingly white (and, not coincidentally, overwhelmingly Republican) states.

“This amendment is bad for immigrants, bad for minorities, and bad for our democracy,” said Serrano.  “It’s just the latest anti-Latino trash to come out of the Republican Party.  Except that this time they’re actually trying to insert their anti-immigrant agenda into the Constitution!  It’s high time for all this to stop.” 

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Congressman José E. Serrano has represented the
Bronx
in Congress since 1990, and is the only Member of Congress from
New York City
on the House Appropriations Committee.