Media CenterCRS Denounces Proposed New Asylum Restrictions at U.S.-Mexico Border

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Nikki Gamer
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(978) 884-0003
 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, Feb. 27, 2023 – Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president of Mission, Mobilization and Advocacy at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s proposed restrictions on asylum-seeking at the U.S.-Mexico border, which would mandate that migrants first seek and be denied asylum in pass-through countries before seeking asylum in the United States.

“We are concerned by the administration’s proposed new asylum restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border. Families making the difficult decision to flee north often do so as a last resort, desperately escaping life-threatening circumstances. We know that many migrants seeking asylum and waiting in Mexico are facing homelessness, kidnapping and sexual violence. Leaving these families and individuals prey to these dangers is antithetical to the fundamental American ideals of justice and protection.

Instead, we urge the administration to reconsider these restrictions. We also implore the administration to address the root causes of this migration crisis, such as food insecurity and violence. By increasing U.S. development assistance to the region, thousands more families would get the support they need to thrive where they are.

As the Holy Father has said, ‘Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of personal development. The rich world must extend the hand of friendship toward the poor world, offering a welcome to migrants and respecting their right to remain.’”

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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