FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES – The Biden administration today announced a series of measures that would, if implemented, dramatically reshape the asylum system in the United States and make it harder for those fleeing persecution to have safety. Effective immediately, the administration will expand use of the deadly and widely discredited Title 42 program and curtail asylum for Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Cubans who meet specific requirements while forcing them to remain in the dangerous conditions they’re attempting to flee. The administration also foreshadowed the creation of a regulation that could create longer-lasting restrictions to asylum. Below is a statement by Karen Tumlin, founder and director of Justice Action Center:
“Instead of working hand-in-glove with direct service providers at the border, Biden is instead re-packaging failed Trump-era asylum ideas. This isn’t just disappointing, it is in conflict with what most Americans want for our nation.
“This country has long prided itself on welcoming those seeking freedom and safety, and we have the legal and moral obligation to do so. Past generations of asylum seekers are integral members of our community, and today’s asylum seekers are no different. Biden is right that we need to have an orderly and humane system to allow people seeking safety to have their day in court. But the changes announced today prevent countless people from even having the opportunity to plead their case, effectively slamming the nation’s doors on those who are most in need.”
