As the fate of the U.S. asylum system hangs in the balance, 235 religious leaders and 143 national, state, and local faith-based organizations have sent a letter to the White House urging the Biden administration to reject the extreme, anti-immigrant proposals that are being considered as part of a supplemental aid package.
The current legislative deal would pair permanent restrictions to the U.S. immigration and asylum system with unrelated foreign assistance funding. Among the harmful policies reportedly under consideration include a dramatic expansion of expedited removal and deportations, expanding and codifying an asylum “transit ban,” and the imposition of a much more restrictive screening standard for those seeking protection. These provisions would separate families; harm migrants, including children; and eliminate life-saving protections for people fleeing violence and persecution—none of which promote effective border management.
