Press Release

Washington – As multiple sources are reporting that the Biden administration is considering a repeal of the deadly Trump-era anti-asylum policy known as Title 42, the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign held its third press call of the week demanding the Centers for Disease Control follow the science and put an end to the misuse of the public health authority to unjustly expel refugees from our borders. 

“If the public health crisis is lifted for some, it must be lifted for all. There’s no justification for Title 42 to apply to some but not all at the border,” said Representative Judy Chu (CA-27). “I have every faith that this administration has the resources to process our borders in a humane and efficient manner. We want to return to due process and recognizing human dignity.”

“President Biden inherited an immigration system that is not only broken but has been neglected by the previous administration,” said Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16). “The federal government should stand to learn from nimble and loving communities like mine – communities on the U.S.-Mexico border. I’ve called on Secretary Blinken and Secretary Mayorkas to change the way we process migrants at the border in a humane and strategic way that restores dignity to vulnerable populations and puts Border Patrol agencies and Office of Field Operations officers back to their jobs.”

“It is encouraging and heartening to see the outpouring of compassion and support for Ukrainians, the world’s newest refugees,” said Melanie Nezer, Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, HIAS. “But under U.S. and international law, all people have the legal right to seek asylum. It is past time to repeal Title 42. This latest refugee crisis, unfolding thousands of miles away but still finding its way to our doorstep, underscores how interconnected we all are and how arbitrary and unfair this policy is. We urge President Biden, as we have since the first days of his administration, to provide fair and meaningful access to the U.S. asylum system for all people seeking safety at our southern border.”

“Afghan-Americans understand firsthand the lengths people are willing to go to in order to seek safety from persecution and suffering. We also know how critical it is for these people to have access to the due process and protections afforded by asylum. As Title 42 demonstrates, we have allowed ourselves to become a country where folks regularly pull up the ladder behind themselves, especially when those following them are Black or Brown — an unforgivable and unacceptable failure for a nation of immigrants,” said Joseph Azam, Board Chair, Afghan-American Foundation. “As this policy is eventually ended, we must remember and reckon with its poisonous roots and think about what we can do to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

“As public health experts, we have known from the start that the Title 42 border closure, which was implemented despite objections from CDC medical experts, has no legitimate basis in public health evidence or data,” said Solange Gould, Co-Director, Human Impact Partners. “Over the last two years, the Title 42 order has wreaked havoc at the southern border, caused harm, and separated families under the guise of public health. Rescinding the cruel and racist Title 42 order for all migrants is an essential first step to ensuring the safety and dignity of people seeking asylum in the U.S. — but it’s just the start. 

Regardless of whether someone has children with them or not, regardless of whether they are single or not, regardless of their nationality of origin, all people seeking asylum deserve care, all have families and communities, and all have a right to health and safety. Once the policy ends, public health experts are ready to welcome and work with people seeking asylum to strengthen the conditions we all need for health and safety.”

A recording of Tuesday’s call is available here and a recording of Wednesday’s call is available here.

The Welcome with Dignity Campaign is composed of more than 95  national and regional organizations committed to transforming the way the United States receives and protects people forced to flee their homes to ensure they are treated humanely and fairly. To learn more and join our campaign visit: welcomewithdignity.org

###