In response to the Senate Republican Working Group’s immigration proposal released yesterday, Katharina Obser, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice Program at the Women’s Refugee Commission, issued the following statement:

“This extremist immigration proposal, rather than actually investing in solutions, would destroy the U.S. asylum system and revert to cruel practices like jailing families fleeing persecution. The proposal would also restart Remain in Mexico, create a new mass expulsions policy like Title 42, and eliminate humanitarian lifelines like Uniting for Ukraine.

“Shutting the door to safety in the U.S. would only create more chaos and harm at the southern border and exacerbate record levels of global displacement. We urge Congress to reject tried-and-failed immigration policies that sow chaos at the southern border and harm people exercising their legal right to seek asylum. Instead, lawmakers should fund the solutions that would actually uphold refugee law and help communities welcome people seeking asylum with dignity. This includes funding, at minimum, safe and orderly processing at U.S. ports of entry; humanitarian organizations and communities that critically support people seeking asylum; and speeding up work permit and permanent immigration relief processing. We can and must do right by those seeking protection here, and the many U.S. communities welcoming them, by investing in a fair and humane immigration system.”

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