Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined 54 members of Congress to introduce the bicameral Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to prevent ICE raids at churches, schools, doctors’ offices, and other sensitive locations. This legislation would ensure that immigrants are able to access education, criminal justice, and social services without fear of deportation.
“The reversal of the Department of Homeland Security’s longstanding protections of sensitive locations is cruel, and it won’t make us any safer,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “All families in Nevada should be able to freely worship, go to school, and seek medical care. We can find commonsense solutions to fix our broken immigration system that do not spread fear in hardworking immigrant communities.”
The list of “sensitive locations” protected under this legislation includes, but is not limited to: medical treatment facilities and health care facilities; public and private schools, early childhood learning centers, preschools, scholastic activities, and field trips; places of worship; federal and local courthouses; DMVs and social security offices; polling places; labor union halls; and several other locations which provide essential or emergency services to immigrant communities, such as rape crisis centers and homeless shelters.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
The first and only Latina senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling on both administrations to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers, and she’s pushed legislation to allow Dreamers and TPS holders to work in Congress.
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