ACLU Statement on Failure of Discriminatory Measures in Midterm Elections

WASHINGTON — Several ballot measures supporting increased immigration enforcement and racial profiling failed at the ballot box yesterday. Lorella Praeli, American Civil Liberties Union deputy political director, had the following reaction:

“Last night was proof that when voters are asked directly to vote on racial and discriminatory policies, they uphold the American values of liberty and justice for all. In the electoral fights where the ACLU, partners, and activists made equality the threshold question for voters, they sided with the Constitution.

“Oregonians defeated an anti-immigrant ballot measure that reaffirmed no one should be targeted based on the color of their skin, their accent, or their perceived immigration status.

“Voters made it clear that the Raleigh area and Wake County in North Carolina would not aide Trump’s deportation and detention force.

“Kansans rejected promoting notorious anti-immigrant, voter-suppressor, and Trump accomplice Kris Kobach’s candidacy.

“Across the political spectrum, Americans support Dreamers and asylum seekers, but President Trump and his supporters have rejected common sense solutions in favor of playing politics and stoking fear.

“Make no mistake, the Trump playbook to bash immigrants will continue in the lame-duck and in the 116th Congress. The administration will wager a fight to make Trump’s border wall a reality and give a raise to ICE and Border Patrol. This agenda needs to be dead in the water.”