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Congressman Walkinshaw believes that immigrants are a vital part of our community and our economy, and that America is strongest when it lives up to its values as a nation of opportunity and refuge. Fairfax County is home to thousands of immigrant families who enrich our schools, strengthen our businesses, and deepen our culture.
In the aftermath of two U.S. citizens killed in Minnesota, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as a direct result of Trump's reckless mass deportation policies, James has repeatedly held the line against additional funding for ICE and CBP until serious reforms are delivered — not a dime more until they are. He has demanded targeted enforcement with judicial warrants, a ban on agents wearing masks, required display of agency ID, protections for sensitive locations like schools and churches, an end to racial profiling, stronger use-of-force standards, state and local oversight, basic detention safeguards, mandatory body cameras, and an end to paramilitary-style policing by DHS officers. On the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, James helped pass Fairfax County’s Trust Policy, ensuring residents could access county services without fear of federal immigration enforcement. When Trump aide Stephen Miller threatened to prosecute local officials for refusing to participate in anti-immigrant crackdowns, Congressman Walkinshaw stood firm in defense of due process and equal treatment under the law. In Congress, James is a champion of comprehensive immigration reform to create a path to citizenship for the 14 million undocumented immigrants living in America, while securing family reunification and modernizing our legal immigration system. He supports the American Dream and Promise Act to provide permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders. He is also seeking reforms to reduce visa backlogs, strengthen worker protections, and make the system more humane and efficient. And, importantly, Congressman Walkinshaw is fighting back against the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrant communities, opposing efforts to criminalize asylum seekers and rejecting xenophobic rhetoric and policies that undermine America’s promise as a nation of immigrants. |
