From Moms Rising (https://www.momsrising.org/):
Imagine your country is invaded. You manage to escape with your three children but you’re forced to leave your mother behind. You decide to seek refuge with your only other family in the world who are safely living in California. You and your three kids trek thousands of miles to the U.S. border only to be turned away without even a chance to make your case to get asylum (an internationally protected right) because of the possibility you might bring COVID-19 into the U.S., a country that has experienced some of the highest COVID-19 rates in the world. This is despite the fact that: By law, individuals can only seek asylum once they are physically present in the United States or when they are arriving at a port of entry. [1]
That’s what’s happened to countless mothers from countries around the world as they come to our nation – and just happened to Ukrainian mother Sofiia and her three children last week and so many other families fleeing violence and political persecution in other parts of the world. [2]
Sofiia’s story is notable mostly because it provides a stark contrast to the welcome being extended by European countries to the millions of Ukrainians who have sought safety over the last few weeks. Yet, here in the U.S., we continue to turn away refugees without even offering a chance to have their cases for asylum heard in court because of a Trump era policy: Title 42. This cruel policy, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown migrants, must end now!
QUICK SIGNATURE at https://action.momsrising.org/sign/end_title42_welcome_refugees: Tell President Biden to end the Trump-era policy Title 42!
This tragedy is particularly evident at our southern border, where those who seek asylum are regularly, unfairly vilified. To be clear, blocking and expelling people seeking protection at the southern border not only contradicts U.S. and international asylum law, but it also endangers already vulnerable families and children. There have been more than 8,000 reports of kidnapping, rape, trafficking, torture and other attacks on people blocked or expelled to Mexico under Title 42. [3]
What’s happening? Under the Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Homeland Security misused a public health policy called Title 42 to single out and block people requesting protection in the U.S. citing COVID-19 as a public health threat. That policy has been in place for nearly two years and is still in place today blocking families like Sofiia’s and countless others who are seeking asylum in the U.S.
Senior CDC scientists have repeatedly objected to the use of Title 42 to exclude immigrants and refugees. [4] Certainly, COVID-19 is already endemic in the U.S. and studies show that simple health measures like testing, vaccination, and quarantine can prevent the spread of COVID-19. Title 42 is not, and never has been, a public safety measure. It is a cruel, dangerous Trump policy grounded in racism and xenophobia that should be ended for all children and all adults.
We want every immigrant and every asylum-seeker treated with dignity, compassion and respect. That simply isn’t possible if our government continues to use Title 42.
This cruel Trump-era immigrant scapegoating policy must end. Seeking asylum at our nation’s borders is a right that each child and parent deserves and is guaranteed by our laws. Simple public health measures like testing, vaccination, and quarantine can prevent the spread of COVID-19.
No asylum-seeking person or family should be forced to return to the dangerous conditions from which they fled without a hearing. Title 42 is not, and never has been, a public safety measure. It is a cruel, dangerous Trump policy that should be ended for all children and all adults. There is no justification for putting asylum seekers in harm’s way.
It’s time to end Title 42 once and for all.
The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on social media: https://action.momsrising.org/sign/end_title42_welcome_refugees
Together we are a powerful voice for the wellbeing of immigrant children and parents.
[1] American Immigration Council: Rising Border Encounters in 2021 [2] San Diego Union Tribune: Ukrainian Family Fleeing Russian Invasion Turned Away from U.S. Border [3] Human Rights First: Two Years of Suffering [4] Wall Street Journal: CDC Officials Objected to Order Turning Away Migrants at Border
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