Washington, DC – For months, people of faith have been calling on the Biden administration to end Title 42 expulsions, including sixty-five high-level faith leaders in a recent letter. Earlier this summer, it was reported that the administration is considering lifting the pandemic Title 42 expulsion policy for some, while continuing to enforce it for others. It is unimaginable that the administration could delay access to asylum for some of our most vulnerable migrant siblings at a height in humanitarian need. The administration must comply with its moral and international obligations and ensure that Black, LGBTQ and other adult asylum seekers, many of whom have been turned back or expelled at ports-of-entry, as well as families and children, are welcomed with dignity.
Under a Trump-era policy, the Biden administration continues to expel thousands of people back to danger, contributing to additional humanitarian challenges along northern Mexico, where many faith-based organizations and NGOs have been rendering aid. In a statement, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees appealed to the U.S. government to lift Title 42 and restore access to asylum. Five-hundred people of faith and organizations sent a concerned letter to President Biden urging him to put an end to “Title 42 expulsions.”
“[W]e believe in honoring the inherent dignity of all and welcoming all people. Therefore, we urge you to do everything in your power to restore asylum protections, end the inhumane Title 42 policy, and welcome asylum seekers and unaccompanied children,” they write. “Our faith traditions call on us to love all people and stand against dehumanizing policies. During this unprecedented public health crisis, it is imperative that the US reject any policy that turns away asylum seekers; rather the US should ensure pathways to protection.”
The administration’s policy is putting vulnerable people in danger and making families less secure. Read the complete letter to President Biden here.
The Welcome With Dignity Campaign delivered a petition from 105 organizations calling on the Biden administration to rescind the Title 42 policy and restart asylum processing.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants. Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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