Olivia Golden, a former senior Clinton administration official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), called for the release of all asylum claimants into American communities during a Thursday interview on C-SPAN.
Golden previously worked as assistant secretary for children and families at HHS.
Golden said, “What’s really important, also, is that [families coming in on the border] not be jailed… It’s really important that families be in the community while they’re waiting for their asylum cases to be heard.”
“The policy threats [of the Trump administration] have been very great [against] low-income people, and working people, and people of color, and immigrants and their families,” said Golden.
“Making sure that you’re not jailing families” should be a public policy priority, said Golden, repeating her call for foreigners with pending asylum claims to be released into the U.S.
Golden now heads the Center for Law and Public Policy (CLASP), which she described as a “non-profit and non-partisan advocacy organization.”
CLASP lists “racial equity” and “addressing barriers faced by people of color” among its organizational objectives.
It describes the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy as a “shameful” upholding of a “Muslim travel ban” and the president’s immigration reform proposals as “anti-immigrant.”
CLASP enjoys tax-exemption and charitable status with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization, issuing tax-deductible receipts to its benefactors for donations it receives. According to IRS regulations, an organization seeking 501(c)(3) “may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.”
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