Many of the concessions that leading Democrats seem willing to make - from cutting diversity visas to chipping away at family visas - would be made on the backs of black immigrants, people from Africa and the Caribbean who deserve these policies to remain intact as some of the few legal tools they have to immigrate to this country.

In this quote, Opal Tometi criticizes the concessions being made by leading Democrats regarding immigration policies. She points out that some of the proposed changes, such as cutting diversity visas and limiting family visas, disproportionately affect black immigrants from regions like Africa and the Caribbean. Tometi highlights that these immigrants rely on such policies as essential means of entering the United States, suggesting that limiting these options would harm a specific group of people who are already marginalized in the immigration system.

Tometi’s reference to diversity visas and family visas underscores her belief that these programs are some of the few legal tools available to immigrants from African and Caribbean backgrounds. Diversity visas are designed to promote immigration from underrepresented countries, while family visas allow family members of U.S. citizens or permanent residents to join them. These policies are crucial for ensuring that immigrants from these regions can reunite with family members or build new lives in the U.S.

Tometi’s criticism of these potential changes reflects her concern that such decisions could harm the rights of black immigrants specifically, further entrenching inequities in the immigration system. By targeting policies that are vital to these communities, she argues, the Democratic party would be undermining a path to opportunity for individuals who face systemic barriers in both their home countries and in the U.S.

Ultimately, Tometi’s quote calls attention to the disproportionate impact that changes in immigration policy could have on marginalized groups, urging policymakers to consider the needs of all immigrants and to protect the legal avenues that help build diverse communities in the U.S. Her statement advocates for a more inclusive approach to immigration reform that doesn't sacrifice the needs of black immigrants in favor of political compromises.