FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES – The Biden administration announced today a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if implemented, would dramatically increase the authority of the executive to curtail the rights and protections of asylum seekers. If enacted as written, the proposal would create a structure for some asylum seekers to have their cases rejected within hours or days of entering the country, while still in border patrol custody, and without ever having a chance to speak to an attorney or see an immigration judge. Below is a statement from Karen Tumlin, founder and director of Justice Action Center:
“President Biden’s new order is long on political fear mongering and short on actual solutions. The American people – and those who seek safety at our southern border – deserve real discussions about how to ensure an orderly process that protects due process rights for all. Instead, we continue to hear increasingly draconian claims to ‘shut down the border’ from both sides of the political aisle. If enacted as written, this rule would have the consequence of shutting our doors on people seeking safety by denying these people access to a meaningful chance to plead their cases or have access to counsel.
“Make no mistake: whatever due process denials the Biden administration proposes today could easily become the blueprint for even more exclusionary moves by a future administration. For decades, the United States has rightly recognized that it may take time to determine the truth when it comes to asylum cases. In one move, the Biden administration has shamefully prioritized swiftness over justice, and people will be harmed as a result.”