New York, NY—This week, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators continue their weeks-long budget negotiations on President Biden’s emergency supplemental funding request to support Ukraine’s war effort. However, Senate Republicans are trying to block aid unless the budget includes extreme changes in immigration policy, including barriers to seeking asylum in the United States, humanitarian parole and enforcing stricter border policies.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:
“As cities across the country continue to welcome newly-arrived asylum seekers, it is crucial that lawmakers in Washington support critical asylum protections and push back against the Republicans’ radical agenda–including cutting back on humanitarian parole, resuming construction on parts of the southern border wall, reinstating remain in Mexico, as well as the safe third country ban–all of which would ultimately result in the end of our asylum system. There is no reason to include increased use of inhumane policies like family separation as part of a foreign budget package except pure cruelty. Instead, lawmakers must expand effective and humane measures that will alleviate the pressure from the southern border, allow for more secure processing of asylum seekers, and ensure that localities like New York City, which have received thousands of new arrivals, are able to support and integrate them into our communities. After embarking on a treacherous journey to the United States, immigrant communities deserve to feel protected and thrive in our country to live out their American dream.”