CAIR Coalition is appalled that the Biden Administration has issued an executive order today banning asylum on a massive scale. This order is akin to the bans and border shutdowns initiated by the Trump Administration that harmed tens of thousands of people fleeing persecution, violence, and death.
As the most restrictive border policy issued by any modern Democratic President, President Biden’s Executive Order shuts down the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers when the average number of people arriving surpasses 2,500 per day, over a seven-day period. Because the average number of daily arrivals is currently higher than 2,500, this means the asylum ban will go into effect immediately. In violation of due process, people seeking safety will be rapidly turned away without the right to a hearing, forced to seek dangerous routes, and deported to life-threatening situations.
Relying on the same law the Trump Administration employed to enact the racist Muslim Ban, this policy will have devastating impacts on individuals and families. Similar to the Trump Administration’s ban attacking the rights of asylum seekers who crossed between designated ports of entry, which was struck down as unlawful by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, this ban will result in the wrongful deportation of people in need of protection.
This Executive Order is the most extreme example of the Biden Administration’s continued efforts to eviscerate our asylum system and the rights of those fleeing dangerous situations. If not stopped by federal courts, the impact of this dangerous policy would be unprecedented. It would fully shut America’s doors to those trying to find refuge in our country, in violation of our core legal obligation under international and U.S. refugee law to not return people to persecution, known as “non-refoulement.”
CAIR Coalition envisions a country with a humane and just immigration system that affords everyone due process and legal representation, protects all people seeking safety, and keeps communities together.
We will NOT stand down from this vision.
As with each asylum ban under the Trump Administration, we are committed to challenging this ban in collaboration with fellow advocates. No matter how many attacks are issued against immigrant communities, we will continue to defend the rights of all people seeking protection.
Join us in this fight.