Press Release

Washington – This week, the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign and partners delivered more than 200,000 signatures demanding President Biden take immediate action to restore the right to seek asylum by reversing Title 42 and stopping the reimplementation of ‘Remain in Mexico.’ Policies set by his predecessor. The delivery of petitions from groups such as Daily Kos, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), HIAS, and faith groups was the culmination of a week of action organized by the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign aimed at restoring the right of people fleeing danger to seek safety in the United States. During the week of action, constituents, advocates and experts met with dozens of congressional offices to raise their concerns over current policies and urge members of Congress to  pressure the Biden administration to restore asylum. The week of action ended with doctors and faith leaders standing in solidarity with asylum seekers outside the White House urging the President to end Trump-era policies and keep his campaign promise of more humane immigration policies. 

“Today, more than 200,000 people from across the country stood up to demand that President Biden stop expelling refugees at the border under the cruel and illegal Title 42 policy,” said Noah Gottschalk, Global Policy Lead at Oxfam America. “The Biden administration must no longer cave to the political pressure from a small fringe of anti-refugee xenophobes and instead must fulfill this country’s promise as a safe haven for all persecuted people. It’s time to listen to an overwhelming number of voices who support refugees and end Title 42 once and for all.”

“More than 200,000 people have joined us to say: the United States must uphold the fundamental human right to seek asylum,” said Melina Roche, #WelcomeWithDignity Campaign Manager. “This week experts, advocates and constituents  met with Congress and delivered petitions to the administration spelling out solutions on how the United States can restore our asylum system to once again be a beacon of hope for people seeking safety. It’s past time for President Biden to end racist policies promulgated by the Trump administration and uphold the dignity of people seeking asylum.”

“Migration is a human right, and Daily Kos urges Pres. Biden to reverse the racist, anti-immigrant Title 42 policy. Now more than ever, asylum seekers need protection and safety–their lives depend on it,” said Carolyn Fiddler, communications director for Daily Kos. “Expulsions are inhumane, and they become even more so during an ongoing pandemic. Ending Title 42 and Migrant Protection Protocols are crucial steps we can take to ensure that asylum seekers receive due process.”

“Using Title 42 to block the entry of refugees into the U.S. is an absolute abomination. It goes against what Americans have stood for throughout our nation’s history—creating a safe and prosperous future for people who escape persecution” said Aaron C. Morris, Executive Director, Immigration Equality. “The hard truth is that the policy is really about keeping vulnerable human beings out. People who are LGBTQ or living with HIV, Black and African migrants, are all at extreme risk in Mexico. Anti-LGBTQ and racist violence at the border is well-documented. Title 42 is not protecting America’s health; it’s putting immigrants and refugees in mortal peril.”

“For over a year and a half, HIAS and other Jewish voices have consistently and repeatedly called for the end of Title 42 expulsions,” said Rebecca Kirzner, Senior Director of Grassroots Campaigns at HIAS. “Title 42 is an abuse of our public health laws that puts people in danger and denies them their right to seek asylum. This petition represents thousands of people calling on the administration to stop this horrific policy, and the petition also represents thousands of people urging Congress to join our effort to restore asylum at the border. Policymakers must stop making excuses, uphold our American values, and end Title 42 expulsions.”

“The Biden administration promised to adopt a fairer and more humane approach to the asylum process at the southern border, said Jonathan Blazer, Director of Border Strategies at the ACLU. “But his continuation of Trump-era policies continues to place people who seek safety in grave danger.  It is past time to bring a complete end to policies — such as Title 42 and the Remain in Mexico program – that unlawfully prevent people seeking protection at the border from pursuing their asylum claims in the U.S.  The Biden administration can and must do better, by using tools at its disposal to safely screen people seeking asylum at the border, and by  investing in community-based services that offer critical support and welcome people with dignity.”

The Welcome with Dignity Campaign is composed of more than 90 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

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