As the fate of the U.S. asylum system hangs in the balance, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns joined 235 religious leaders and 143 faith-based organizations in signing a letter to Pres. Biden urging him to reject the extreme, anti-immigrant proposals that are being considered as part of a supplemental aid package.
December 12, 2023
As 235 religious leaders and 143 national, state, and local faith-based organizations representing many faith traditions, we write to express deep concern over reports that your administration is considering agreeing to harsh and permanent asylum restrictions amid unrelated spending discussions. The asylum proposals under discussion – including the codification of an asylum “transit” ban, the dramatic nationwide expansion of fast-track deportations through expedited removal, and the imposition of a much more restrictive credible fear screening standard that will limit people from having their case heard – are extreme, harmful, and contradictory to our values.
As communities of faith, we are called by our principles and sacred texts to the spiritual practice of welcome. Our congregations have historically played key roles in meeting the needs of displaced people, and that has included a leading role welcoming asylum seekers arriving at the southern border. Faith communities at the border and across the country have worked together with the federal government towards establishing a more dignified and orderly process for those fleeing persecution and seeking safety at our shores.
We face real challenges at the border that demand a coordinated and well-resourced response. The asylum restrictions under consideration would do nothing to support that needed effort. Deterrence-based policies at the border have repeatedly proven ineffective. Certainly, they do not prevent those fleeing danger from seeking life-saving protection at the border, and they fail to make the asylum process more efficient, orderly, or humane.
Attempting to leverage the safety, freedom, and well-being of some of the world’s most vulnerable people for unrelated foreign policy objectives is a violation of our call to honor and uphold the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, no matter their country of origin or the circumstances they face.
An increasing proportion of asylum seekers arriving at the border in recent months have been families with children, and unaccompanied minor children. For generations, our sacred texts and practices have affirmed and upheld the essential nature of the family. Many of our faith traditions stress the importance of protecting the most vulnerable among us, and thus call on us to safeguard the well-being of the most vulnerable, including families, children, and other at-risk individuals. Unfortunately, the proposals under consideration would weaken protections and eliminate due process for many families and children, needlessly putting them at risk of being returned to danger.
Our nation’s diverse faith traditions call us to love our neighbor, accompany the vulnerable, and welcome the sojourner. The asylum provisions under consideration are not in line with our country and our communities’ long legacy of welcome. We urge your administration and members of Congress to reject the permanent asylum restrictions under discussion and support solutions that would live up to our values and welcome the most vulnerable.
Sincerely,