Washington, DC — Yesterday, a few days into the start of National Immigrant Heritage Month, the Biden Administration announced policies via executive order and an interim final rule that would further dismantle asylum – a basic human right. The policies allow the government to deny asylum to people who try to find safety in the United States based on an arbitrary numerical threshold. As a result of this and other immigration enforcement policies announced in May, thousands of people will be denied even a chance at asylum and be immediately deported.
“SEARAC condemns this newest iteration of an asylum ban,” said Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of SEARAC. “Southeast Asian Americans arrived in the United States as refugees fleeing war, violence, and persecution. We know firsthand how critical a humane asylum system is for ensuring safety and protection to vulnerable people and families. The United States must continue to be a safe haven, and our asylum system must be strengthened and expanded, not dismantled. Instead, the Biden administration is choosing to turn its back on refugees. We urge the administration to undo these inhumane policies, and instead, ensure safety for refugees and immigrants, at the border and within.”
Media contact: Elaine Sanchez Wilson, elaine@searac.org
