Washington, D.C. – This week Senator Durbin (D – IL), along with Senators Padilla (D – CA), Cortez Masto (D – NV), Lujan (D – NM), and 8 others introduced Senate Bill 1600 which would increase funding for Customs and Border Patrol. This funding would be used to hire more officers at the border, fund immigration judge teams to ramp up deportations, increase border persecutions, and more harmful actions.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy of United We Dream, said:
“This supplemental funding bill in the Senate is a blatant abuse of our tax dollars by funneling money for more harm towards migrants. More persecution and deportations are harmful and aren’t the solution to the needs of people seeking asylum. In reality, we need more funding for processing asylum seekers with due process and without detaining or expediting expulsions. We must show that we welcome immigrants into this country with care and respect.
Up until recently, the Biden administration was denying people their right to seek asylum by keeping Title 42 in place. Now with the end of Title 42, we have the opportunity to create a welcoming environment for immigrants in this country. This enforcement-only bill is especially disappointing coming from Senate leaders who have been champions of immigrant communities. We need our champions to put forward bold, inspiring solutions to meet the needs of our immigrant communities – including pathways to citizenship – instead of vying for brownie points from anti-immigrants. Senate Democrats must refuse to fall for the trap of fear-mongering immigrants that some of their Republican colleagues peddle in for their own political gain. Leaders in the Senate must reject S.1600 and instead push for humane solutions that alleviate the border communities of additional harm.”
