More than 150 international, community, legal, human rights, and faith-based organizations have come together to raise alarm to Biden administration officials regarding reports that the president may use executive power to implement punitive immigration policies emulating the failed and inhumane actions of his predecessor, which would endanger people seeking asylum at the U.S. border.

“Your first year in office restored much needed hope that U.S. border policies need not be defined by cruelty and punishment,” states the letter, which was delivered to White House officials. “Your recent comments and actions have marked a radical shift away from such hope—leaving little daylight between your administration and others who demonize Black, Indigenous, and Brown people, including particularly vulnerable groups like women, children, and LGBTQ+ people. Instead, we urge you to consider the many humane steps your administration can take via executive action to restore faith in our immigration system while bringing order and fairness to the border.”

The groups came together to deliver this message in response to reporting this week that the Biden administration is considering using the same laws that underpinned Trump administration Muslim and African migration bans to attempt to shut down access to asylum at the southern border. Other reports have suggested the president may try to unlawfully raise the standard for preliminary asylum screenings, which the prior administration also attempted before facing legal challenges in federal courts.

“We urge you to heed our warning: this tired approach failed under the past administration, will fail and cause great harm again, and will tarnish your administration irreparably,” the letter states.

Click here to read the letter and list of signing organizations

Media Contacts:
Tara Tidwell Cullen, (312) 833-2967, email
Welcome With Dignity Campaign, email
Arianna Rosales, (408) 398-5140, email