Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today decried the extreme and isolationist executive action from the Biden administration that would allow the president to almost completely shut down access to legal asylum protections at the U.S. southern border if arrivals reach a certain threshold. The move, driven more by politics than practicalities, flies in the face of U.S. and international refugee and asylum law. It would effectively negate the country’s role as a historic leader on protecting the vulnerable, and is in direct contradiction to the president’s promises on the campaign trail to treat arriving migrants with dignity.
“Asylum seekers come to our doorstep because they have no other choice but to exercise their legal right to seek protection in the U.S. Fear mongering has no place in sound policy. Today’s announcement shakes the foundations of our national identity,” said Danilo Zak, Director of Policy at CWS. “We are a nation built upon the contributions of generations of immigrants. To let our identity be brought so low, and so easily, is an indictment of the state of our politics. We urge the administration, President Biden, and Congress to focus on real challenges facing Americans, not the alarmist response to those fleeing protection and seeking to be our neighbors.”
CWS notes that while previous asylum restrictions have eroded due process and have made it more difficult to access protections, this action would result in the elimination of any asylum process for those arriving between ports of entry—including those with the most clear and obvious cases for humanitarian protections. Importantly, while on his successful campaign for the presidency, Candidate Biden promised to undo the Trump administration’s harsh and unjust travel bans to limit access protections, yet today’s action attempts to use the same authority –212(f) – as those bans as justification for its introduction. The United States must focus instead on seeking solutions that honor the dignity of arriving asylum seekers and strengthen American communities’ capacity to welcome newcomers.
CWS hopes to see the order overturned by our court system, due to its direct violation to enshrined asylum law. In a speech on June 4, President Biden pledged to make additional executive actions in the “weeks ahead” to make the immigration system “more just and more fair.” CWS calls on President Biden to use this opportunity to establish more just and compassionate asylum and immigration policies that honor family unity, protect the vulnerable, and improve pathways to permanent status. See more comprehensive border solutions for more humane, equitable, efficient migrant processing here.
For more information, or to speak with Zak, contact media@cwsglobal.org.