U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety, and Representative Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, issued a joint statement Dec. 11 urging President Joe Biden to reject Trump-era immigration policies being considered in the ongoing negotiations around the supplemental aid package.
“We are deeply concerned that the president would consider advancing Trump-era immigration policies that Democrats fought so hard against – and that he himself campaigned against – in exchange for aid to our allies that Republicans already support. Caving to demands for these permanent damaging policy changes as a ‘price to be paid’ for an unrelated one-time spending package would set a dangerous precedent,” read a portion of the statement.
Padilla and Barragán describe it as “unconscionable” for Biden to renege on his 2020 campaign promise to restore the country’s “moral standing in the world and our historic role as a haven for refugees and asylum seekers” by enacting what would essentially equate to a ban on asylum.
“Terrorizing communities across the U.S. by expanding expedited removal and ignoring our international obligations to provide asylum to those fleeing persecution, violence and authoritarianism are nonstarters,” continued the statement. “We unequivocally agree on the need for Congress to act to reform our immigration system and address the challenges at our border, but extreme Republican demands to cut off legal pathways and deport long-term residents will not reduce unauthorized migration – they will only exacerbate our current challenges.”
The joint statement goes on to say that “cruel and unrealistic demands” by Senate Republicans shouldn’t be considered given their no votes against border security investments last week.
“Senate Republicans clearly are not interested in strategic border management,” read the statement.
Last month, Padilla led 10 colleagues in issuing a joint statement condemning the proposed threats to the asylum system in the supplemental aid package negotiations.