U.S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
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USCRI Denounces the Administration’s Recommitment to Harmful Border and Asylum Policies

October 1, 2024

On September 30, President Biden issued an Amended Proclamation to the June Presidential Proclamation that temporarily suspended and limited the entry of noncitizens across the southern border. The Amended Proclamation makes it even more difficult to remove the limits and conditions on asylum. The changes will go into effect when the accompanying Final Rule is published on October 7, 2024.

The Amended Proclamation and Final Rule extend the period for lifting the limitations from 14 to 28 days after the seven-day average of “encounters” falls below 1,500, making it extremely difficult to lift the restrictions on asylum.

The Amended Proclamation and Final Rule will also include all unaccompanied children from both non-contiguous and contiguous countries in the calculation of encounters. Previously, only unaccompanied children from contiguous countries were counted. Counting unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries will raise the tally of encounters, compounding the difficultly of lifting the restrictions on asylum outlined in the original Proclamation.

Following the original Proclamation and the Interim Final Rule (IFR), USCRI visited Mexico to speak with asylum seekers affected by the bureaucratic complexities resulting from the changes in asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border. Asylum seekers shared intimate stories of their journeys fleeing north and their experiences facing extortion, sexual assault, physical violence, and other dangers while they waited for an appointment to speak with border officials.

“For the Administration to recommit to these harmful border and asylum policies places even more asylum seekers at risk and stands in direct contrast to our international, domestic, and moral obligations,” said Eskinder Negash, USCRI President and CEO. “The selective humanity of the Administration to welcome some and discard others is unconscionable.”

USCRI reaffirms its commitment to asylum seekers and their right to seek asylum. USCRI calls on the Administration to rescind the Final Rule in its entirety.

 

 

USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.

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