Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), the Vice Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38), former Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led 39 members of Congress in urging the Administration to ensure full legal representation for children during their Central American Minors (CAM) program interviews. In a letter addressed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou, the representatives call on DHS to follow through with President Joe Biden’s Executive Order that directed DHS to consider policy changes to enable access to counsel during refugee interviews.

The letter is endorsed by Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Church World Service, Freedom Network USA, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, International Rescue Committee, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN); Tahirih Justice Center; The Central American Resource Center of Northern California – CARECEN SF, and Women’s Refugee Commission.