On January 11, 2018, President Trump allegedly referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and other countries in Africa that have a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation as “shithole countries.” We, the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association, as a specialty bar association encompassing and representing Hispanic attorneys from a range of countries, firmly condemn these comments allegedly made by President Trump. These disparaging comments are not reflective of American values and they are not conducive to reaching a long-awaited legislative solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

We believe that racism and prejudice have no place in our society. We look forward to working with organizations such as AYUDA, CAIR Coalition, Catholic Charities, Community Legal Services, Esperanza Center, and Tahirih to assist families and individuals while Congress works towards a bipartisan solution for immigration reform. Immigration is not a red or blue issue, but rather a human issue that affects Latinos throughout Maryland and the entire country. We want our members and the community to know we are listening and open to partnering in future events to ensure that all people are treated with respect and dignity regardless of their country of origin.