CHC Chair Barragán Response on President Biden’s Statement on Senate Border Security Negotiations

“We agree with the President that our immigration system is broken and Congress needs to pass legislation to fix it and provide resources at the southern border. However, I disagree with President Biden's statementthat the proposed policies in the reported Senate Deal are ‘fair’ or that it will fix our problems on the southern border. The reported Senate deal focuses on enforcement provisions that have the potential to make matters worse and would spur more chaos while failing to include legal pathways to ensure safe, orderly migration pathways. The reported provisions are the result of a hostage taking, not a real negotiation that includes give and take from both parties on immigration.  

"I was also disappointed to hear the President say we need to shut down the border. Efforts to shut down the border do not work. It did not work under Trump with the use of Title 42 and it will not fix the problem now. Fifteen of the 20 months with the highest apprehensions at the southern border occurred while Title 42 was in place. We are a nation of immigrants, where it is legal for immigrants to come to America and apply for asylum. Shutting the door to hope and opportunity in America is not the answer to our challenges on the southern border. 

"The CHC remains ready to work on real, bipartisan comprehensive reform to America’s immigration system that also addresses the problems at the southern border. I’m afraid the current Senate deal being reported, if passed, would set back real comprehensive immigration reform for ten to fifteen years.”

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