Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Lois Frankel (FL-21), Norma Torres (CA-35), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) and 54 Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling for the Trump Administration to withdraw Ronald Mortensen’s nomination to be Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration. The letter asserts that Mr. Mortensen’s disparaging comments toward immigrants disqualify him from managing the bureau responsible for refugee and migration policies and programs, especially at a time when the world faces the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

In part, the letter reads, “We urge the administration to immediately withdraw Mr. Mortensen’s nomination and for you to work with President Trump to name a qualified individual who appreciates our country’s moral and legal obligations to assist refugees. Failing to do so would severely undermine our global diplomatic and humanitarian leadership and send a distressing message that the United States is turning its back on the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Full text of the letter here.

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