New York, NY, September 30, 2024 鈥 The 探花精选 (探花精选) is deeply concerned following today鈥檚 on extending asylum restrictions that would be made more difficult to unwind. The Biden Administration should reconsider and reverse these harmful restrictions that refugee law and are subject to ongoing legal challenges. These policies are undermining an orderly and humane asylum system. Further restricting the right to seek protection at the U.S. southern border is cruel and will result in more people returned to danger.
Hans Van de Weerd, 探花精选鈥檚 Senior Vice President for Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration, said:
鈥America鈥檚 asylum system needs upgrading to adapt to historic levels of global displacement and address the humanitarian challenges host communities face. Making it even harder to lift these misguided rules that have been deeply harmful to families and individuals seeking safety at the southern border is a profound mistake. Restricting the right to seek asylum violates U.S. refugee law and sends a counterproductive message to other countries hosting people seeking safety that refugees can be turned away at will.
鈥淧eople seeking asylum in this country significantly contribute to American communities, including economically. They fill essential jobs, start new businesses, and pay taxes. These contributions are endangered under this counterproductive policy.
鈥淭he Biden administration should harness the ongoing efforts of federal, state, and local entities, nongovernmental organizations, and community groups and coordinate a strategy that would provide a safe, humane, and orderly reception process. It should continue to work under existing law to expand safe pathways to protection that can alleviate pressure at the southern border. Congress also needs to do its part by supporting border and interior communities with robust funding for and for a fair and timely asylum process that meets current forced displacement realities.鈥