Elizabeth Warren Floats ‘Suspending Deportations’ to Force Congress to Pass Immigration Reform

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) views “suspending deportations” as a viable tactic to get Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, an idea she floated on Friday during a forum in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Warren participated in what progressives describe as a “Latinx community conversation” and took a question from a woman who told an emotional story of her husband, who was deported after serving a jail sentence.

“Senator, I have two questions. If you become president, will you pass a moratorium on deportations? And if the answer is yes, would you be willing to include people like my husband, with criminal records, as part of the moratorium,” she asked through a translator.

Warren apologized to the woman for the “troubles” she and her family have experienced and said she is open to “suspending deportations” as a way to force Congress to act on immigration reform.

“I am open to suspending deportations, particularly as a way to push Congress for comprehensive immigration reform,” Warren stated.

“I believe that what we’re doing right now with ICE, focusing on people who do not pose a threat, that when ICE comes into our communities, takes our neighbors, our friends, our family members, that they do not make this country safer,” she continued.

“We need ICE and Customs and Border Control to focus on real threats,” she continued, citing terrorism and fentanyl as examples:

Sen @ewarren says she is open to suspending deportations “particularly as a way to push Congress for comprehensive immigration reform.” This came after an emotional story & question from a woman explaining that ICE took her husband into custody. Quite a few people wiping eyes. pic.twitter.com/BcRaPc87X8

— Leyla Santiago (@leylasantiago) November 8, 2019

Warren’s idea parallels Sanders’, whose immigration plan features a proposal to freeze deportations.

The socialist senator proposes to “institute a moratorium on deportations until a thorough audit of past practices and policies is complete” and “dismantle” what he describes as “cruel and inhumane deportation programs.”