B Stands for Boon

Good afternoon,

From the influx in asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, our country is engaged in a national debate over whether the United States has a moral obligation to help vulnerable migrants.

Nativists argue that we can’t afford to take in migrants, employing faulty economic and national security arguments to justify closing our borders to those in need. But this couldn’t be further from the truth: providing humanitarian pathways to migrants is not only a moral imperative but will ultimately strengthen our democracy and national security.

Take, for example, the ongoing efforts to resettle our Afghan allies. The fall of the Afghan government has displaced over 500,000 Afghans – 80% of them women and children. With ample bipartisan support, the U.S. government has announced three distinct immigration pathways to evacuate and resettle Afghans at risk of retaliation from the Taliban: Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, the Priority 2 Refugee Program and Humanitarian Parole. (Learn more about each of these pathways here.) In providing humanitarian pathways for Afghans and other displaced persons, the United States is leading by example, and upholding our democratic aspirations of freedom and human rights for all. This sends a clear message to oppressive regimes around the world.

The influx in asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border must also be addressed via humanitarian pathways. Border-crossers typically make the journey to the United States to escape violence, poverty, natural disasters, and corruption. It is crucial that we also meet this challenge with humane solutions. The Biden administration’s recent proposed changes to the asylum system are a positive step – but additional actions must be taken to ensure an efficient, just and safe system is in place for all asylum-seekers. In welcoming asylum-seekers at the border, we can demonstrate our collective compassion and our American commitment to freedom and opportunity.

At the Forum, we believe there is a moral obligation to meet the needs of the world’s most vulnerable. We call on Congress and the Biden administration to expand and improve the pathways available to vulnerable migrants, and in turn, assert American humanitarian leadership that will enhance our democracy, our economy and our national security. 

Stay healthy and hopeful,

Adam

Adam Estle
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum 

P.S. Join us for a Facebook Live tomorrow (Friday 9/10) at 2 PM ET. We’ll hear from Dreamers, TPS holders, and farmworkers about what it’s like to live in the U.S. without permanent status and how we can press Congress to come up with practical solutions for these members of our society. See the event page here. 

NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:

NEW YORK TIMES: Afghans Flee to Pakistan. An Uncertain Future Awaits.

POLITICO: Dems to make the case for immigration reform in $3.5T spending bill

THE HILL: More than 700 local officials call for immigration in reconciliation bill

AXIOS: Latino farmworkers more likely to die from extreme heat

BAPTIST NEWS GLOBAL: It’s easy to be overwhelmed by tragic world events, but faith demands action, speakers say