The Women’s Refugee Commission Celebrates the Senate’s Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act Without Harm to Immigrants

Washington, D.C. – On Sunday, August 7, 2022, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a $750 billion health care, tax, and climate package. Senators rejected all amendments that would harm immigrant and border communities, and the House of Representatives is expected to pass this clean package as early as Friday.

Following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, Katharina Obser, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), stated:

“The Women’s Refugee Commission applauds the Senate for making significant climate investments and lowering prescription drug, healthcare, and energy costs without the addition of anti-immigrant amendments. We are deeply grateful to Senator Bob Menendez (N.J.) and Senator Alex Padilla (Calif.) for their strong moral leadership in urging their colleagues to stand united in passing this historic bill without jeopardizing the United States asylum system or hurting immigrant families. We also commend Senators Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Dick Durbin (Ill.) for their leadership in the bill’s passage, as well as Senators Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Tom Carper (Del.), and so many more who voted against poison pill anti-asylum and anti-immigrant amendments. Lastly, we deeply appreciate the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus for powerfully standing up for immigrant communities ahead of the vote.

“Women’s Refugee Commission now urges the House to pass the Inflation Reduction Act without delay, and similarly without any anti-asylum and anti-immigrant additions.”

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Learn more about WRC’s work on asylum, legal, and human rights.