Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today expressed its alarm over the announcement of an upcoming vote in the Senate that would severely inhibit the legal right to seek asylum in the United States. The legislation includes dramatic expansions in the use of expedited removal, detention, and deportation, reinstatement of Trump-era border wall construction funding, and the ability to turn families away before they ever have an opportunity to make their legal case for asylum. CWS calls on Congress to affirm solutions that build strength and resilience into our nation’s welcoming infrastructure and expand our communities capacity to welcome.
“Mere months ago, these same harmful proposals received support in Congress in part because they hinged on U.S. aid to Ukraine in their ongoing conflict with Russia. For them to receive support now, uncoupled from foreign assistance funding, goes beyond political horse trading, and towards callousness against the world’s most vulnerable,” said Danilo Zak of CWS. “The United States has been historically viewed as a place of compassion for the displaced, a safe harbor for the persecuted. “To cede ground to isolations and xenophobes runs counter to our national spirit, and risks normalizing harsh, anti-asylum measures by moving the goalposts backwards in future debates over border and asylum policy.”
Since President Trump took office in 2016, access to protection for those fleeing violence and persecution has eroded at an alarming rate. Despite campaign promises to rectify the harms brought about under Trump, the Biden administration has yet to reverse attacks on nor preserve rights to legal immigration. CWS notes that every vote for this legislation represents an active effort to undermine our long-standing pledge, and legacy, to be a nation of welcome.
For more information, or to speak with Zak, contact media@cwsglobal.org. To take action, visit CWSGlobal.org.