21 FEB 2023
Immigration Hub Condemns the Biden Administration’s Decision to Formally Propose Trump-Era Asylum Ban
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Biden administration formally announced their proposal to institute a backdoor ban on asylum. The proposal, commonly called a “transit ban,” will severely curtail the rights of individuals and families fleeing persecution to seek asylum at our southern border.
President Biden first announced his administration’s intention to re-establish this ban in early January. Since then, hundreds of civil rights groups, faith-based organizations, elected officials, and immigrant advocates have criticized the Biden administration. Resourcing and reforming asylum is necessary; undermining America’s core commitment to offer asylum and safety to those fleeing persecution and violence is not.
Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply disappointed to see the Biden administration announce what is effectively a ban on asylum. Asylum decisions are a matter of life and death. Denying people a fair chance to seek safety and freedom under U.S. law flies in the face of America’s moral leadership on the protection of refugees and President Biden’s campaign promise to rebuild a fair, humane and orderly immigration system. Instead, the proposal brings back a Trump-era ban that was declared unlawful by federal courts.
“We fully recognize that a system that was neglected and devastated for years cannot be rebuilt overnight — and not by the administration alone. Congress must step up to reform and resource the asylum system so it is fair, humane and efficient. After four years of Trump’s extreme agenda that separated thousands of families and put the lives of Dreamers and immigrant families in jeopardy, the Biden administration set out a groundbreaking plan to rebuild our immigration system. But Congress has failed to act and now the administration is taking drastic steps to temporarily ban asylum seekers rather than accelerating a more holistic approach to refugee and asylum seekers. This move to expand policies that undermine our asylum system is neither fair nor humane.
“Over the past two years, the administration has taken significant steps to reverse some of the worst policies of former President Trump that dismantled the asylum system and made progress on regional collaboration to address the root causes of migration from Latin America. For example, the Vice President harnessed the power of the private and public sectors to make unprecedented efforts to tackle root causes of migration in Central America. Earlier this year, the administration announced a parole program to expand legal pathways for Venezuelans, Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans looking to seek safety in the U.S. with their families.
“The year ahead now provides an opportunity — and an obligation — for the administration to reaffirm its commitment to vulnerable people seeking protection and to the millions of immigrants, including Dreamers, who already call America home. Instead of recycling failed policies that have no place in an America that traditionally leads the world on refugee protection, let’s build an immigration system that we can all be proud of.”
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.