WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) denounces the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) ruling that clears the way for Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and other states to redraw congressional district maps and eliminate majority-Black districts. The SCOTUS decision comes on the heels of the Court’s April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted significant portions of the Voting Rights Act by declaring a majority-Black district an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
NPNA, a coalition of more than 76 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations, decries these developments as attacks on the progress and legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. If action is not taken immediately, this redistricting could lead to a more sweeping disenfranchisement of Black, Brown, AANHPI voters, a reduction in their representation in Congress, and the ushering in of a new era of Jim Crow politics.
Said Nicole Melaku, NPNA executive director, “As advocates for immigrant inclusion and the civic rights of all people, we clearly see that efforts like redistricting, as well as eliminating legal immigration pathways, are all part of the same strategy to disenfranchise the Black and Brown vote. NPNA stands firmly with Black voters, throughout the South and nationwide, who have fought long and hard for their right to vote and civil rights for all. We call for unity among Black, Brown, and AANHPI voters and urge them to stay vigilant, defend the right to vote, and recognize that our collective power will prevail to ensure representation, the sacred right to vote, and our shared obligation to defend democracy.”
Said Lisa Sherman-Luna, Executive Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), “Throughout history, the battle for our nation’s soul has been fought and won in the South. From the abolition of slavery to landmark protections for civil rights, Black Southern leaders have shown us time and again what it means to make progress in the face of hate. But progress is not without backlash, and now we are seeing the culmination of years of rising animosity at the growing power of Black and brown communities across the South. At first, it may seem that the rush to redraw Congressional maps has little to do with our fight for immigrant rights, but this administration has been determined from day one to rig the rules in their favor, using immigrant communities as a scapegoat to consolidate power, seize control of communities, and sow hate and division among our neighbors. Redrawing Congressional maps throughout Southern states to disenfranchise Black and Brown voters is their latest strategy to avoid accountability from voters who are sick and tired of their agenda of hate.”
Said Carlos Aleman, Chief Executive Officer, The Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama, “In Alabama, where nearly one in three residents is Black, reducing majority-Black congressional districts from two to one is not redistricting, it is disenfranchisement. At HICA, we serve immigrant and refugee communities who have long understood that their safety, their access to health and education, their very presence in this country, depends on who holds political power. The assault on the Voting Rights Act is an assault on all of us. We join our NPNA family in sounding the alarm.”
Said Dauda Sesay, Executive Director, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, “This moment calls for solidarity and collective power across Black communities, other marginalized groups, and immigrant communities who have long fought for dignity, representation, and democracy. When voting power is weakened through discriminatory maps, it is not just district lines that are harmed—it is our shared ability to shape schools, healthcare, housing, and our collective future. Across Louisiana and the South, we are building power together to reject policies rooted in exclusion and racial discrimination, and to defend a multiracial democracy where every community belongs, every voice matters, and every vote truly counts.”
###
The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of over 76 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 40 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org.