President Biden and Congress: Stop Playing Politics With Asylum Seekers’ Lives

New York, NY (December 12, 2023) — In response to congressional talks about gutting asylum in exchange for votes to pass an emergency foreign aid package, as well as new reports that the White House will agree to such changes, Bridget Crawford, Immigration Equality’s Director of Law & Policy, issued the following statement:

“We are appalled by the radical proposals in Congress that would put asylum out of reach for most refugees, including LGBTQ asylum seekers fleeing grave danger. These short-sighted changes fail to tackle any of the real issues afflicting our immigration system, like the massive asylum backlog and lack of capacity for humane processing at the border.

“The President and Congress must not turn their backs on refugees, including LGBTQ and HIV-positive people fleeing violent persecution. This is a moral issue, not a political one, and protecting refugees is fundamental to our identity as Americans.

“This is also very much a queer issue. We are talking about LGBTQ refugees’ lives. Our leaders should be making responsible, comprehensive reforms aimed at solving systemic problems and inequities, not back room deals using the lives of the most vulnerable as bargaining chips.”