Los Angeles, CA – The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), one of the largest immigrant rights organizations in the US, rejects the policies announced today by the Biden Administration allowing the Administration to effectively shut down the border and dramatically restrict access to migrants seeking refuge. This is an unnecessary, punitive, and highly political decision. Asylum seekers, under this executive action, would be removed by immigration officers immediately and will not be allowed to state their case after a small numerical threshold is reached daily. This announcement, like the failed bipartisan border “deal”, may be stymied by legal challenges and Congressional inaction. Regardless of any court outcomes, today’s announced policies are likely to do immense harm. Moreover, they come on top of numerous other recent actions – from using classified information against immigrants, asking them to resolve complex issues earlier in their immigration cases before they have a lawyer, and increasing criminal prosecutions of immigrants- that are already undermining the right to seek asylum. Please attribute the following comments to Angelica Salas, CHIRLA Executive Director. “Tilting right to appease those who have remained steadfast opponents of any migration to the United States, is wrong. We have been and should remain the beacon of hope for those seeking protection for themselves and their families. These policies increase the suffering of many who seek lifesaving protection and the harm that will result from the implementation of this executive order for many is irreversible. The border restrictions proposed in these policies will neither satisfy opponents of any reform to our nation’s outdated immigration laws nor will it truly address the situation at our border or the conditions that force migrants to leave their home countries. Instead of further limiting access to asylum seekers, President Biden should be working to fulfill his pledge to “reassert America’s commitment to asylum-seekers” and pushing Congress to pass significant legislation. Such legislation should include the bill to update the INA’s Registry, that would offer respite to millions of contributing migrants living in this country for decades without recognition. President Biden’s executive orders have yet to include any protection from deportation for millions who lack citizenship. It is truly a sad day for the United States when it has become so expedient to disregard the plight of human beings for political gain. We will fight tooth and nail to stop this executive order from going into effect and to reverse all other anti-asylum policies already doing damage to the right to seek refuge.” ### | 
