WRC Urges Senate Not to Undermine Asylum

Washington, D.C. – In advance of the Senate’s consideration of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 this week, the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) urges lawmakers to reject the addition of any provisions that would undermine U.S. asylum and immigration laws, increase harmful immigration enforcement, and jeopardize the bill’s future. Yesterday, WRC joined nearly 300 organizations in a letter to the Senate urging the same.

Katharina Obser, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at WRC, stated:

“The Women’s Refugee Commission commends lawmakers for taking action to address critical issues impacting communities around the country. As the Senate takes up the bill, we urge lawmakers to reject all amendments that have the potential to derail this important legislation. In particular, WRC calls on lawmakers to reject any efforts that would attempt to codify and indefinitely extend Title 42 – and thereby undermine Congress’s longstanding commitment to ensure access to asylum, as well as U.S. obligations under international and U.S. law. Title 42 expulsions have not only subjected hundreds of thousands of people to immeasurable harm and rights violations but continue to needlessly cause chaos at the U.S. border.

“If the Senate were to add any anti-immigrant and anti-asylum amendments to this important legislation, the impact would be extremely detrimental. We urge all lawmakers to vote no on any such amendments.”