Washington, DC – Faith communities are disappointed and frustrated with the Biden administration’s latest announced border policies and enforcement-focused visit to the US-Mexico border in El Paso this past weekend.
It was reported that President Biden “did not appear to see or meet with migrants,” despite “a trip to a migrant respite center,” and appeared to be “largely focused on enforcement issues and speaking with border enforcement personnel.” The brief visit came just days after the president announced a new set of border policies that will expand asylum-blocking Title 42; provide parole for a limited number of Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans; while also expanding expedited removals. The announcement also included an asylum ban rule that would greatly impede the ability of migrants to seek asylum.
Religious leaders at the border and across the nation have spoken out against the president’s border policies. J. Kevin Appleby, acting executive director of the Center for Migration Studies of New York and former director of policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote for America Magazine, “The current U.S. border policy denying asylum protection to the persecuted certainly violates basic human rights, not to mention domestic and international law.” He added, “Pope Francis and the late Pope Benedict XVI would agree[:] it is contrary to Catholic teaching… which emphasizes the right of a person to migrate.” Appleby concluded, “Immigration measures should focus on human beings, not on scoring political points.”
Dylan Corbett, Executive Director of Hope Border Institute in El Paso and member of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition urged the president in a press call last week to center his efforts at the border around human needs—not harmful enforcement: “For once, just once, I’d like to see this administration make the moral argument to the rest of the country that we need to put in place an effective, humane, accessible, welcoming, and compassionate system of protection at the border. This is the leadership demanded of the United States at this moment. This is what it means to be a good neighbor to those in the region. This is what it means to be a country that supports human rights. At the end of the day, the expansion of Title 42 to include Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans is a broken promise. Rather than putting our country on a sure path to fully restoring asylum at the border, these new actions entrench a dangerous, ineffective, and inhumane policy.”
Katie Adams, Policy Advocate with the United Church of Christ and Interim Chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement: “Not just a few weeks ago did the Christian Church celebrate the wonder and waiting of Advent. What does it mean when we’re willing to welcome the refugee Christ Child in our hearts and homes, but when presented with an opportunity to live out the Gospel today with our new asylum-seeking neighbors, we slam the door shut? The president has reiterated many times that people in need of refuge have a legal and moral right to seek asylum—but as he is presented with opportunities to affirm these rights, his words are shown for what they are—false promises.
In the sacred text of the president’s faith tradition, it says, ‘let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth’ (1 John 3:18). It is nothing short of hypocritical for the president to express compassion for asylum-seeking migrants in word, but entirely block them out and return them to harm in deed. We urge the president to align his words with his deeds, and to heed his moral and faith calling by listening to the needs and experiences of asylum-seeking migrants themselves. Faith groups, humanitarian organizations, advocates, members of Congress, and the American people agree: the Biden administration must not issue an asylum ban and must put an end to all asylum-blocking measures, including Title 42.
Those in need of asylum must be welcomed with dignity through robust efforts to invest in and restore our asylum system and provide resources to the cities and border communities supporting asylum-seekers’ resettlement. Our faith and heart for humanity compels us—will the President not do the same?”
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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