Quixote Center engages on multiple fronts to impact US policies on interrelated issues that affect the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act
November 17th Immigration Advocacy Day on the Hill
The crackdown against migrants has been relentless during the first year of this administration. The budget bill that passed this summer will pour billions of additional dollars to pay for immigration detentions and deportations. Quixote Center stands with our migrant community that contributes to a strong US economy and enriches our social fabric.
On Monday, November 17th, Faith in Action is organizing, with Quixote Center co-sponsoring, an Immigration Advocacy Day on the Hill to meet with members of Congress to discuss these issues:
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Protect Immigrant Families: Extend and redesignate TPS for Haiti and other countries in crisis; halt deportations during humanitarian emergencies.
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Defend Civil Rights: Stop ICE from detaining and targeting people regardless of citizenship status; ensure due process and protect communities from racial profiling and civil rights violations.
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Support Faith Leaders & Communities: Condemn threats and violence against clergy and community leaders who stand with immigrants.
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Advance Immigration Reform: Create pathways to legal status and permanent protections for immigrant communities across the U.S.
We will also discuss the status of key federal bills currently before Congress:
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The NO BAN Act (H.R. 924 / S. 398) – Prevents future discriminatory travel bans.
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The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (H.R. 1061 / S. 455) – Restricts ICE enforcement at places like churches, schools, and hospitals.
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The VISIBLE Act (H.R. 4667 / S. 2212) – Expands transparency and accountability around immigration enforcement.
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The Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393) - A comprehensive immigration reform proposal currently in the U.S. House. It may be introduced in the Senate, and we encourage you to ask Senators and staff about its status and whether they support a Senate companion bill.
Although the Dignity Act opens a path towards regularizing the status of millions of long-term migrants with no criminal record, including DACA recipients, the Quixote Center has concerns about other parts of the bill and is not currently endorsing it.
November 17–19 Advocacy Days for a Human Rights Agenda in the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, Washington, D.C., led by Global Exchange
Quixote Center is part of a trinational coalition composed of human rights and trade justice advocates, worker unions, indigenous advocates and academia demanding for sensible reforms to the trade deal between the US, Mexico and Canada. Last month, we encouraged everyone to seize the opportunity of the open comment period to submit their proposals to the Office of US Trade Representative (USTR).
With the closure of the open comment period, the next step is to further engage with US negotiators as USTR will hold public hearings on December 3-5, 2025, in the main hearing room of the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC, beginning each day at 9 a.m. EST.
In preparation for these hearings, the coalition led by Global Exchange is organizing a series of events bringing together civil society organizations from the U.S. and Mexico to highlight the real-world consequences of trade policy and cross-border corporate practices on communities across North America. Quixote Center will participate in the civil society meetings happening on November 18th and 19th as part of the advocacy days for a human rights agenda in the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.
Escalating Military Intervention in the Caribbean and Pacific
Since Quixote Center first raised our concern about the US military blowing up a speedboat in the Caribbean in September, there have been 19 more strikes, expanding into the Pacific and killing a total of 76 people. Despite zero evidence that these boats or occupants present a threat to national security, the US military is ramping up its presence in the region. This week, US Navy deployed the largest aircraft carrier in their arsenal to the Caribbean, with a capacity to carry 90 war planes. Congress has failed to rein in the administration; a resolution asserting their war powers did not pass.
Quixote Center is monitoring this troubling situation closely as it can quickly escalate and affect areas where our partners in Haiti, Nicaragua and Panama are based. Indeed, a direct attack against Venezuela will most likely mobilize a strong regional reaction. Historically, the Center has opposed US military interventions. Every nation has the right to self-determination as a fundamental principle of international law.
The UN finally denounced these attacks and the UK recently decided not to share intel with the US. The Colombian president denounced these actions as “murder”. The US Department of State swiftly sanctioned him and his family, daring any other leader to speak out.
We do not believe that these attacks are about drug trafficking. Venezuela has the largest crude oil reserves in the world. Mexico manufactures fentanyl, not Venezuela. The administration has named Cartel de las Soles as its target, but this organization does not exist.
Quixote Center will continue to monitor and report on this situation and invite our supporters to take action when possible.
Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, November 15-16, Washington, DC
Finally, to wrap up this advocacy update, Quixote Center is once again participating at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice Conference in Washington, DC on November 15-16. We look forward to engaging with university and high school students and faculty at our exhibit table. Mobilizing youth for advocacy is one of the most important endeavors in these troubling times.
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