Under pressure to act on immigration during the lame duck session, bipartisan senators have reportedly been discussing a possible proposal that would permanently protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. This is inarguably good. What is bad is that the reported discussions also apparently include extending Stephen Miller’s anti-asylum order for as long as another year.
This is totally out of touch with the midterm elections, where voters largely rejected nativist candidates who’d bear-hugged anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. In fact, Democrats just gained in the U.S. Senate, where this framework is currently being drafted. The U.S. House, meanwhile, has already passed stand-alone legislation addressing DACA recipients without having to punish asylum-seekers.
RELATED STORY: Bipartisan senators drafting immigration 'framework' that would protect DACA recipients
Continued polling also shows that the vast majority of Americans support an accessible asylum system. The polling, conducted by the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego and released this week by the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign, finds more than 73% of respondents across party lines supportive of asylum rights.
“Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73.4%) either strongly or somewhat agree that the US should provide asylum to people fleeing persecution and/or violence in their home country,” the polling said. “In fact, a majority of Democrats (87%), Republicans (57%), and Independents (74%) support asylum. And while Republicans are less likely to strongly agree (16%), over 4-in-10 Republicans (42%) somewhat agree that the US should offer asylum.”
Miller’s debunked Title 42 order, implemented against the advice of public health experts three years ago next March, has used the novel coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to quickly expel vulnerable children and adults. But in survey results, respondents across party lines said they supported investing into our asylum system.
“Across both parties, an overwhelming majority supports investing more resources in building an asylum system that is fair, fast, and accurate,” polling results continued. “In the full sample of Americans, 82% strongly or somewhat support greater investment, with a plurality of Americans (40%) expressing strong support. 89% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 84% of Independents either strongly support or somewhat support.”
The reported framework from Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona would also include billions in increased border security funding in addition to the billions federal immigration agencies already get every year. Ever notice how agencies and border hawks in Congress seem to get this money without question all the time, yet immigrant families never get the legislative relief they’ve pleaded for year after year?
“As reports indicate Congress is considering a draft framework that includes a shocking proposal to extend Title 42 for another year and additional proposals that would indefinitely curtail asylum rights,” said Bilal Askaryar, communications manager for the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign, “the American people are clear that protecting people fleeing violence and oppression remains an enduring value that the majority of us supports.”
Following a federal judge’s ruling last month, the Biden administration has agreed to end use of the Title 42 order by the end of this month. The Sinema-Tillis framework would continue the policy until new processing centers for asylum-seekers are operational, “with the aim of a one-year cutoff,” The Washington Post had reported. But the very real worry is this debunked policy just getting extended indefinitely.
“With the end of Title 42 fast approaching, the Biden administration has an opportunity to finally bring our country back into alignment with its longstanding legal and moral obligations to refugees,” said Karen Musalo, director of gender and refugee studies.
“Our nation is at its best when we live up to our ideals, and we can do so without trading one group for another like Senators Sinema and Tillis propose,” Askaryar continued, saying “[w]e must turn the page on Stephen Miller’s failed and racist playbook. The American people want President Biden to invest in the infrastructure to evaluate asylum claims fairly and support people through the legal process in an equitable and dignified manner.”
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This is totally out of touch with the midterm elections, where voters largely rejected nativist candidates who’d bear-hugged anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. In fact, Democrats just gained in the U.S. Senate, where this framework is currently being drafted. The U.S. House, meanwhile, has already passed stand-alone legislation addressing DACA recipients without having to punish asylum-seekers.
RELATED STORY: Bipartisan senators drafting immigration 'framework' that would protect DACA recipients
Continued polling also shows that the vast majority of Americans support an accessible asylum system. The polling, conducted by the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego and released this week by the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign, finds more than 73% of respondents across party lines supportive of asylum rights.
“Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73.4%) either strongly or somewhat agree that the US should provide asylum to people fleeing persecution and/or violence in their home country,” the polling said. “In fact, a majority of Democrats (87%), Republicans (57%), and Independents (74%) support asylum. And while Republicans are less likely to strongly agree (16%), over 4-in-10 Republicans (42%) somewhat agree that the US should offer asylum.”
Miller’s debunked Title 42 order, implemented against the advice of public health experts three years ago next March, has used the novel coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to quickly expel vulnerable children and adults. But in survey results, respondents across party lines said they supported investing into our asylum system.
“Across both parties, an overwhelming majority supports investing more resources in building an asylum system that is fair, fast, and accurate,” polling results continued. “In the full sample of Americans, 82% strongly or somewhat support greater investment, with a plurality of Americans (40%) expressing strong support. 89% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 84% of Independents either strongly support or somewhat support.”
The reported framework from Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona would also include billions in increased border security funding in addition to the billions federal immigration agencies already get every year. Ever notice how agencies and border hawks in Congress seem to get this money without question all the time, yet immigrant families never get the legislative relief they’ve pleaded for year after year?
“As reports indicate Congress is considering a draft framework that includes a shocking proposal to extend Title 42 for another year and additional proposals that would indefinitely curtail asylum rights,” said Bilal Askaryar, communications manager for the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign, “the American people are clear that protecting people fleeing violence and oppression remains an enduring value that the majority of us supports.”
Following a federal judge’s ruling last month, the Biden administration has agreed to end use of the Title 42 order by the end of this month. The Sinema-Tillis framework would continue the policy until new processing centers for asylum-seekers are operational, “with the aim of a one-year cutoff,” The Washington Post had reported. But the very real worry is this debunked policy just getting extended indefinitely.
“With the end of Title 42 fast approaching, the Biden administration has an opportunity to finally bring our country back into alignment with its longstanding legal and moral obligations to refugees,” said Karen Musalo, director of gender and refugee studies.
“Our nation is at its best when we live up to our ideals, and we can do so without trading one group for another like Senators Sinema and Tillis propose,” Askaryar continued, saying “[w]e must turn the page on Stephen Miller’s failed and racist playbook. The American people want President Biden to invest in the infrastructure to evaluate asylum claims fairly and support people through the legal process in an equitable and dignified manner.”
RELATED STORIES:
House caucus chairs say lawmakers 'must not let this year end' without protecting DACA recipients
Battleground state voters overwhelmingly back pathway to citizenship, new polling shows
GOP's opposition to immigration bills has huge human costs. It's also costing our economy