Jan Garbett, the United Utah Party candidate for Congress in Utah’s Second Congressional District, has announced her opposition to the nomination of Ronald Mortensen as assistant secretary in charge of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and urged Representative Chris Stewart, her Republican opponent, to do the same. “Ron Mortensen’s extreme anti-immigration stance makes him a very poor choice to manage refugee programs,” Garbett said. “Utah is a state that was founded by refugees who were driven from their homes because of what they believe, and we can’t turn a blind eye to those who are suffering the same fate today.”
She said Stewart has not taken a stance in opposition to Mortensen despite the fact that Mortensen has been openly critical of the LDS Church’s call for a congressional solution to help “Dreamers” remain in the country, has characterized Sen. John McCain’s immigration reform plans as promoting terrorism, and has repeatedly leveled unsubstantiated accusations of criminal activity against immigrants, using what Utah Sen. Curt Bramble has called “misleading or fabricated statistics that inflame…anti-immigrant passions.” “Our nation’s immigration policy should reflect the best of who we are,” Garbett said. “Mr. Mortensen is out of step with Utah values. I call on Representative Stewart to stand with me in opposing this nomination and calling on the president to withdraw it.”
For more information, visit jangarbettforcongress.com
