Jayapal Statement on Administration Action to Manage Regional Migration

WASHINGTON – Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal issued the following statement in reaction to the administration’s announcement on new actions to manage regional migration:

“I am pleased to see the administration is proactively planning for the end of the public health authority commonly known as Title 42 that was implemented by the Trump Administration and should not have been in place to begin with. The Biden Administration understands the imperative of expanding legal pathways, as contained in today’s announcement. Expanding legal pathways and recognizing the need to establish a refugee process for the Western Hemisphere countries is critical to having a secure, humane, and fair process at the border. We have already seen how the creation of legal pathways can work. When the Biden administration created new legal pathways for nationals of Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, unauthorized crossings between ports of entry for nationals of those countries fell by 72 percent. This is an important step in addressing migrants’ protection claims in a humane way without having to make the dangerous journey to our border.

“Ensuring that we also meet our obligations and our values to have a real process that allows people to seek asylum from persecution is essential. I remain concerned that the administration plans to move forward with a new regulation and other processes that could limit access to asylum.  Due process and asylum are bedrock principles that should not be violated. I appreciate the inclusion of exemptions to this new regulation and access to counsel for those who come to our borders and urge the Administration to ensure that this is truly meaningful.”

Issues: Immigration