In response to reports regarding the increasingly alarming negotiations between congressional Republicans, President Biden, and congressional Democrats, threatening to trade the protection of the most vulnerable at our borders and within our country for humanitarian aid, Gina Cummings, Vice President of Advocacy, Alliances & Policy for Oxfam America, a global organization fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice, said:
“The border policies the White House has reportedly indicated it would support would effectively end asylum as we know it in this country. The extremist proposal, which could ban the majority of Latino and Black asylum seekers, lead to mass deportations without a hearing and the mass incarceration of families seeking asylum is little more than Title 42 on steroids. It would allow the President to hastily and indefinitely suspend immigration to the U.S., barring the entry of all foreign nationals into the country and likely triggering mass expulsions. Sacrificing the lives, dignity and rights of people simply seeking safety for themselves and their families cannot be the price we pay for the lives of people abroad. People seeking asylum are not a bargaining chip.
"The $10 billion that President Biden is requesting for humanitarian assistance is sorely needed – it will help millions around the world. But we can and must pass a clean supplemental funding package without the inclusion of xenophobic policies that only punish those seeking safety."
Oxfam is a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice. We offer lifesaving support in times of crisis and advocate for economic justice, gender equality, and climate action. We demand equal rights and equal treatment so that everyone can thrive, not just survive. The future is equal. Join us at oxfamamerica.org.
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