Washington D.C. - Today, President Biden issued an executive order targeting asylum rights. The President is relying on section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to ‘suspend the entry’ at his own discretion and increase screening requirements to other forms of humanitarian relief, bypassing current asylum law. This policy mirrors former President Trump’s bans used to deter the entry of migrants at the U.S./Mexico border.

In Response, Martha Arevalo, Executive Director of the Central American Resource Center of LA Issued the following statement: 

“Today President Biden has betrayed immigrants and refugees. A migrant ban under any name and under any administration is anti-immigrant and inhumane. We are seeing history repeating itself; this administration and Congress must address the root causes of forced migration, safeguard the rights of refugees to seek safety, and address permanent protections for immigrants in the U.S. 

Four days ago, President Biden proclaimed June to be Immigrant Heritage Month only to stand by xenophobic rhetoric and directly attack vulnerable migrant and refugee communities. President Biden and his administration have failed to deliver campaign promises in securing protections for vulnerable immigrants seeking refuge and immigrant families who call this country home. We are disillusioned to see the President succumb to political pressure, granting authority to suspend the human right to seek asylum, which he once criticized. We urge the President to correct his actions to protect the human right to seek asylum and to call on Congress to pass humane and inclusive immigration policies grounded in dignity and justice.”