For Immediate Release
March 23, 2022
Contact:
Mynellies Negrón | (202) 993-7844 | mynellies@communicationsshop.us
We Are Home Demands the Biden Administration to Immediately End Harmful Policy for Immigrant Communities
WASHINGTON – Two years after its implementation and signs of a slowing pandemic, We Are Home calls on the Biden administration to end a controversial Trump-era policy that prevents vulnerable immigrants from seeking humanitarian protection at the U.S. border and denies them a fair and humane asylum process under a public health disguise.
As the CDC ends its review of Title 42, We Are Home calls on the Biden administration to halt its practice of expelling asylum seekers to their home countries without due process and forcing them back to life-threatening circumstances.
“The implementation of Title 42 was always an excuse to deny certain asylum seekers the right to seek refuge. Every day that the U.S. government keeps the Trump-era policy in place, vulnerable people are forced back to countries where they will likely face violence or persecution, or places them in vulnerable situations, thus subjecting them to kidnappings, rape, and assaults,” stated Bridgette Gómez, Director of We Are Home. “So far, President Biden has failed to deliver on his promise of restoring a humane asylum system. But it is not too late to take action and end this abusive policy, uphold refugee law, and build a fair and just asylum process at our border.”
According to Humans Rights First, there are over 9000 assault reports of asylum seekers at the U.S./Mexico border. Despite objections from public health experts and multiple Congressional members, the U.S. government expelled nearly 1.7 million asylum seekers in the last two years under Title 42. This policy not only violates asylum seekers’ legal right to seek protection, but it has no health safety rationale behind using it as a measure to protect the public from COVID-19. And as the U.S. opened its ports of entry for travelers and tourists in November 2021, it continues to expel asylum seekers, including vaccinated ones.
This racist policy disproportionately impacts migrants of color, calling to question the unequal manner in which the U.S. government continues to treat communities of color. In some cases, Ukrainian refugees were granted waivers from Title 42, and U.S. officials repeatedly praised Europe’s response in welcoming Ukrainian refugees. But the U.S. continues to deny humanitarian refuge to other nationals, including Haitians and Cameroonians who are going through a similar crisis.
“Our government must devote the same compassion and aid to all vulnerable people seeking protection. The CDC recognized there is no public health rationale for expelling children seeking safety at the border. It’s clear there is no valid public health reason to turn away asylum seekers including families traveling with their children to seek refuge.It’s time for Biden to uphold his campaign promises by implementing a humane immigration system, and putting an immediate end to Tile 42,” added Gómez.
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We Are Home is a nationwide campaign fighting to ensure that “we the people” includes all of us. Our mission is to transform America’s inhumane immigration system. We must undo the damage of the last four years and build a new immigration system that is fair, humane, functional, and centered in racial justice, and respects all people, regardless of race, religion, or birthplace. And we must immediately enact legislation that creates a roadmap to citizenship for every immigrant who calls this country home. We Are Home is co-chaired by Community Change/Community Change Action; National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)/Care in Action; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); United Farm Workers (UFW), and United We Dream.