[Jan. 29, 2018-Michigan]: The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) hopes that the occasion of the State of the Union address by President Donald Trump tomorrow will serve as an occasion to bridge the gap between Republicans and Democrats and set the right tone for a future of conciliation and cooperation.

The past year was full of divisiveness and controversy fueling people’s frustration with the political process. The state of division within the American public is troubling. The nation faces many issues that impact all the people of the United States, directly or indirectly. One of these key issues is that of DACA recipients who are caught in legal limbo. . Those young dreamers deserve the opportunity to live the American dream to its fullest and their cause should not be used as a political football or as a chip in political bargaining.

AHRC calls for a comprehensive immigration reform that is consistent with American’s laws and democratic values. All stakeholder, in the private and public sector, must have their voice heard and concerns addressed. The so-called chain-migration is an American strength, not weakness. Americans value family unity and American lawmakers recognize this fact in our current immigration law. A visitor to Dearborn can see the many American successes, produced by America’s immigration policy that honors family unity. Another key issue that must not be ignored is the importance of healthcare and health coverage for all Americans, especially the most vulnerable. All rich countries ensure that their citizens enjoy proper healthcare. The US should not be the exception.

As to the world we live in, there are a number of national and international conflicts and the US can play a key role in helping the world community resolve these conflicts. As to the Middle East, we call for honest brokering of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict recognizing the importance of Jerusalem to the Arab and Muslim world and respecting the status of Jerusalem in international law and UN resolutions.

We continue to emphasize that the human rights community has a large number of concerns with the Trump administration and considers its record troubling, with deep concern over its future actions. We hope that President Trump will use unifying rhetoric that is consistent with the ideals and values of American democracy.

“We are deeply concerned about policies that don’t put human beings and their human rights and human welfare first,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “We continue to advocate for policies, especially as to immigration, that put human rights above politics,”  added Hamad.

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