Washington, D.C. – This week, Congress faces the possibility of roll call votes on Title 42 and other anti-immigration policies as the Senate considers the latest version of the budget reconciliation package. In the reconciliation process, the bill will be open for amendments during the “vote-a-rama” process.
Since its inception in March 2020, Title 42 has been used to expel approximately 1.8 million people seeking asylum, the majority of them Black immigrants. Over a million people have been sent back to face persecution, climate disasters, lack of access to clean water and food, and sometimes even death.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy of United We Dream, said:
“For members of Congress who have touted their commitment to racial justice, now is the time to act! The moment is overdue to reject Title 42 and vote ‘no’ on any amendment that would seek to continue it or establish any other anti-immigrant policy. Keeping Title 42 in place has already denied millions of Black and brown immigrants their right to seek safety in the U.S., separated countless families, and further eviscerated our country’s asylum system.
Some politicians are trying to use the end of the evil Title 42 as an excuse to pit us against people who are trying to seek a better life in our country, yet the vast majority of the public believe our country should build a more humane and just immigration system. Ensuring the end of the evil Title 42 is inherent to that. People will always move, and as a country we have a responsibility to live up to our values of providing a welcoming environment for people to seek asylum with dignity. Congress must rebuild our asylum system to welcome all who seek safety in our country, and reject any amendments that would hurt our immigrant communities.”
