Washington, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed rule that would allow the U.S. to more quickly expel some migrants seeking asylum that are deemed to be national security or public safety risks to the country. It would move up in the asylum screening process when bars to asylum are considered – entrusting asylum officers instead of immigration judges to deny asylum claims within days after an individual is encountered – thus denying migrants a fair opportunity at seeking protection and fast-tracking their removal.
“We oppose the DHS proposed rule that will undoubtedly make it harder for people to make their claim for asylum, and will potentially lead to harmful profiling of those perceived to be ‘security threats,’” said Nicole Melaku, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA). “This draconian, enforcement-only approach is far from the dignifying, efficient, and effective solutions the electorate has been calling for. We need an asylum and immigration system that works for, not against, families, workers, and people in need of refuge. We call on President Biden and DHS to take a different tact and instead invest in solutions that support people’s right to seek protection and make their case to be granted relief in this country.”
“The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) opposes the new rule proposed by DHS which adds another unreasonable barrier and hardship to those seeking asylum. This rule hinders our ability as a country to welcome people seeking safety with dignity, undermines due process, and does nothing to address the challenges at the border. Instead of proposing a rule that will further inflict harm, the Biden Administration should uplift the indisputable contributions made by newcomers and long-term immigrants alike. It must then seek to increase avenues for legal status and ensure asylum seekers have the opportunity to be heard. This new proposal is both inhumane and ineffective,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA and NPNA co-chair.
Seeking asylum is a legal right afforded to all people under U.S. and international law, and poll after poll shows that voters across the country want workable legal pathways for immigrants and an asylum system that allows people fleeing violence and persecution to seek safety in the United States. President Biden himself has criticized the anti-asylum and expedited removal policies of the Trump administration. Yet, At a time of unprecedented levels of forced displacement across the globe, we see his administration diverge from the very values and promises he made.
Immigrant rights advocates decry this about-face of the Biden administration – both in the anti-immigrant bipartisan border deal that failed earlier this year, and now with the new proposed rule, preceding what could be broader asylum-blocking policy announcements that may come next month. The National Partnership for New Americans urges the Biden administration to abandon these restrictionist, right-wing plans and instead embrace the dignifying immigration solutions that the nation – including 3.5 million New American Voters that have naturalized since the last presidential election – has been calling for in this critical election year.
The proposed rule announced today is open to public comments during the 30-day public comment period from May 13, 2024, to June 12, 2024, which will allow the public the opportunity to review and provide feedback for the agency to consider in finalizing the rule.
###
The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of 70 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 40 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org.