Washington, D.C.—In response to Senate legislation released late tonight, Katharina Obser, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Women’s Refugee Commission, issued the following statement:

“The draconian immigration proposal put forth by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (CT), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), and James Lankford (OK) today is a betrayal of this country and this administration’s commitment to refugee protection and a humane and orderly immigration system. That the White House and lawmakers would be willing to decimate the U.S. asylum system and expand the detention and surveillance of people seeking asylum shocks the conscience. Never did we imagine that in this moment—of unprecedented global displacement—we would see proposals that essentially mirror some of the worst policies of the Trump administration, some of which were vehemently decried by Senators and Members of Congress just years ago, and which this administration vowed to end. If enacted, thousands of women, children, and families seeking asylum will be placed in harm’s way. We will undoubtedly see more chaos and cruelty at the border.

“Immigrants cannot and should not be used as political pawns. The Women’s Refugee Commission has long researched and recommended real solutions to improving U.S. border management and the asylum system. An orderly and humane system requires building increased asylum processing capacity at ports of entry, developing more safe legal pathways to migrate, and resourcing local communities at the border and around the country that help people navigate the U.S. immigration process. We urge Congress and the Biden administration to reverse course and invest in smart, pragmatic, and humane solutions.”

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