Washington, D.C.—Lutheran Social Services of National Capital Area (LSSNCA) denounces the president’s executive order ending humanitarian protection and denying access to safety to people fleeing violence and persecution. Through this executive order, the president has:
- Ended the use of CBP One app appointments, the only pathway for anyone to request asylum at the southern border;
- Terminated the humanitarian parole program for people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela with a U.S. Sponsor to fly to the United States and pursue asylum and other forms of protection;
- Authorized the Department of Homeland Security to expand the use of detention; and
- Reinstated ‘Remain in Mexico,’ which forces people seeking asylum in the United States to wait for their day in court in dangerous conditions in northern Mexico rather than within the United States.
“Under the pretense of keeping our nation safe, this executive order targets persons who are seeking protection from persecution, denying them access to safety,” said Kristyn Peck, CEO of LSSNCA. “Although we agree that immigration reform is needed, the solutions must uphold the dignity and rights of people seeking asylum. Furthermore, community-based alternatives to detention are more humane, cost-efficient, and effective at ensuring people comply with their immigration court proceedings than detention.”
This executive order leaves tens of thousands of people seeking safety in dangerous and unsafe conditions. It significantly departs from our country’s legacy and legal obligations to protect the most vulnerable populations. We can and should be both a nation that welcomes and a sovereign nation.
LSSNCA urges the immediate restoration of access to asylum and humanitarian protection programs. We implore our elected leaders to implement policies that uphold our country’s shared value of welcoming people fleeing persecution and violence.
