The American Immigration Council Mourns the Loss of a Fierce Advocate and Justice Seeker

WASHINGTON—Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States and champion of fairness and equality, died Friday in Washington, DC.

The following statement is from Beth Werlin, executive director of the American Immigration Council: 

“The American Immigration Council expresses its deepest sympathy to the family of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed after a long fight against pancreatic cancer on Friday. Her outstanding intellect, perseverance, and service to the nation have propelled our march toward justice and equality. She has forever changed the trajectory of our country.

“Many know of Justice Ginsburg's mark on issues such as gender discrimination, voting rights, access to health care, reproductive rights, and same-sex marriage. On the issue of immigration, she stood up against the Travel Ban and the termination of DACA, against allowing police to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws, and for non-citizens' rights to challenge their detention.

“Justice Ginsburg is a personal superhero to so many of us. For me, as a Jew, a mother, daughter, and wife, and as a lawyer, Justice Ginsburg has been an inspiration. She reminded me of my strength and that I can stand up for what is fair and just, even when it is hard. And she set the record straight that power does not mean being the loudest voice in the room. Through her words and deeds, she honored the dignity of life and the importance of community and measured success through the lens of the most oppressed. Justice Ginsburg’s life and work will continue to inspire me and future first generations of Americans, cancer fighters, lifelong learners, justice seekers, and fierce advocates. Together, we will honor her memory by carrying on her work.”

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For more information, contact:

Maria Frausto at the American Immigration Council, [email protected] or 202-507-7526.