Biden team’s announcement heralds the end of harmful expulsions of migrants

SOUTHERN BORDER — Today the Biden transition team announced their commitment to resume processing — in a COVID-safe way — of people seeking safety as soon as possible after President-Elect Joe Biden enters office in January. The news is a welcome change from the Trump administration’s practice of rapidly expelling people — including asylum seekers and children — under cruel initiatives such as the so-called Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) and “metering.”  

The Biden Administration also made a commitment to restore capacity at ports of entry and work with local governments, non-profit organizations and faith groups to strengthen a humanitarian, rights-respecting, welcoming process to receive people fleeing natural disasters, seeking safety, and wanting to reunite with family in the United States.

The reestablishment of infrastructure to continue processing people requesting safety also reflects the will of the voters in the southwestern states. According to this poll from the U.S. Immigration Policy Center, voters across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas prefer the government does the following: 

• Provide aid to migrants in distress (83%)
• Place unaccompanied children with child welfare specialists, not CBP (67%)
• Provide alternatives to detention for asylum seekers (63%)
• Allow asylum seekers to enter the U.S. pending proceedings (59%)

Voters also resonate strongly (77%) with the core value that all persons have inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness regardless of immigration status. This reflects a desire in the southern border region to move away from harmful enforcement-only policies toward A New Border Vision that upholds human rights and welcomes all people who live, work or travel to the region in a safe and orderly way.

Vicki B. Gaubeca, director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition stated: 

“We appreciate the President-Elect Biden and his team for listening to voters from the southern border region and taking steps toward processing people seeking safety in a safe and orderly way. While we know that this transformative humanitarian approach won’t happen on Day One, public safety depends on public trust, and Biden’s commitment to work with border community organizations and leaders reflects a willingness to build that trust. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration in January and beyond to ensure that our government’s border governance policies uphold human rights, protect human dignity and welcome all people to our region safely and efficiently.”

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BORDER COMMUNITIES COALITION

The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) brings together organizations from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas, to ensure that border enforcement policies and practices are accountable and fair, respect human dignity and human rights, and prevent the loss of life in the region.

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