Washington, DC – Faith leaders, humanitarian organizations, and immigrants’ rights groups marched from the Trump Hotel to the White House today to demand an end to Title 42. The public health order, first implemented by the Trump administration and affirmatively continued by the Biden administration, has been misused for “two years too long” to illegally block migrants at the U.S. southern border from seeking asylum, resulting in over 1.6 million expulsions back to harm. Today’s event was one of nearly 20 solidarity actions taking place across the country, including at the U.S.-Mexico border, to demand an end to asylum-blocking policies. A livestream recording of the Washington, DC action is available here.
Many of the groups and representatives present at the march were among over 300 organizations that signed a recent letter to the White House demanding an immediate end to Title 42, which has disproportionately impacted Black migrants and resulted in nearly 10,000 incidents of kidnapping, torture, rape, and other violent attacks against asylum seekers under the Biden administration. The letter and today’s actions come shortly after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) terminated Title 42 expulsions for unaccompanied children. For families and adults seeking safety, Title 42 remains in effect.
Imam Ali Siddiqui, Congregation Action Network said, “We believe in our God who is powerful and who speaks in the Qur’an for immigrants and those who seek asylum. In Islam, Prophet Muhammad was an immigrant. I am also an immigrant, first from India to Pakistan, and then from Pakistan to here. I fled twice from oppression… The Prophet Muhammad said, ‘prayers of the oppressed.’ ‘Prayers of the oppressed are raised above the clouds by a lamp…’ The Lord shows them, ‘By my might, surely I will help you in time.’ President Biden, the people fleeing from oppression are calling on Mighty Allah, let them in with dignity! Grant them asylum! Do not deport them! Our God hears the prayers of the oppressed.”
Pastor Jerome Herold, Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association and Bethel Christian Church/Disciples of Christ said, “The time is now for us to speak to our President to say that the time is now to end Title 42. It’s been two years–two years too long… I have to tell you, as a Haitian descent, I have been here for the last 50 years. We as disciples acknowledge the injustice of Title 42. At the southern border, Title 42 is used brutally against immigrants, especially Haitians, who flee their country and an insecure government. Even the president there could not save himself. He just got killed. So when the people flee from there, they really need asylum. They really qualify to be refugees. Today we are here as Haitian leaders to call on our president, Mr. Biden, to welcome all people–not only Caucasians, but all people… President Biden promised us to end Title 42… You said you were going to do it, we’re going to hold you to it.”
Nelson Tabi, Cameroonian asylum seeker and CASA member said, “I am an immigrant from Cameroon. Today I’m here to denounce the racist policy Title 42; it needs to end now. I came to this country because of the crisis in my country, Cameroon. My life was in danger and I had to escape for my safety. I made it, passing through the Darien Gap, of Colombia and Panama, which was a very dangerous journey for me. I passed through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala to Mexico. It was through Mexico that I was denied entrance to the United States because of the introduction of Remain in Mexico and Title 42… In Mexico, I was attacked several times by armed men. All immigrants who are escaping the traumas that I was escaping should be welcomed.”
Rev. Noel Anderson, Church World Service and the United Church of Christ said, “Title 42 and Remain in Mexico have been blocking asylum. They started under the Trump administration. Now, the Biden administration has continued these policies. That’s why we’re starting here at the Trump hotel and marching, taking to the streets, to the White House where we will demand that the Biden administration end Title 42. Two years is too long!”
Sue Kenny, HIAS said, “We have programs on both sides of the border. I hear from my colleagues that go into the shelters in the border towns of Mexico every day how it’s so depressing because they have no good news for people. They look into their faces, after they’ve been asked, ‘is there anything we can do?’ and they have to tell them ‘no,’ because of this racist policy Title 42. Title 42 is not about public health. It’s about racism and anti-immigrant sentiment and it’s about politics. Why are we keeping vulnerable people in dangerous situations for two years? These are vulnerable people seeking nothing more than what the law provides, seeking refuge and asylum in the United States.”
Melina Roche, Campaign Manager, #WelcomeWithDignity said, “Two years is too long. We know asylum seekers have the legal and human right to seek asylum at our borders. We are here today to call on the Biden administration to put an end to Title 42, to restore access to asylum, humanely and fairly… Today I am here to hand-deliver a letter that many of our partners–300 across the country and across the Americas–wrote to Biden urging him to restore access to asylum now by ending Title 42 and other racist policies.”
Daniel Tse, Haitian Bridge Alliance and Cameroon Advocacy Network said, “This White House behind us has always used excuses to turn back people. The most recent has been Title 42 as an excuse. They’ve brought up an obscure law to block asylum seekers under the pretext of a disease. This same White House behind us has the authority to stop that same evil policy of Title 42. Today we see that the border has been opened back up to every individual except for asylum seekers. A couple of months ago we saw vulnerable people, Black migrants at our border, seeking refuge… What happened to those people? This administration used the evil policy to expel 20,000 of these individuals back to a burning house. This is cruelty. There is no iota of humanity in these actions. And so we are calling on the administration to end Title 42 now.”
SPEAKERS:
- Pastor Jerome Herold, Haitian Evangelical Pastors Association & Bethel Christian Church/Disciples of Christ
- Imam Ali Siddiqui, Congregation Action Network
- Daniel Tse, Haitian Bridge Alliance & Cameroon Action Network
- Melina Roche, Campaign Manager, #WelcomeWithDignity
- Nelson Tabi, Cameroonian Speaker from CASA
- Rabbi Esther Lederman, Director of Congregational Innovation, Union for Reform Judaism
- Asylum seekers from the border speaking through mobile video screen
COSPONSORS: Communities United for Status and Protection, African Communities Together, Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association, #WelcomeWithDignity, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Interfaith Immigration Coalition, Church World Service, American Friends Service Committee, CASA, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, CLINIC, FIRM Action/Community Change, Latin America Working Group (LAWG), NOVA Friends of Refugees, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Presbyterian Church USA, HIAS, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, Franciscan Action Network, Congregation Action Network, Oxfam America, American Civil Liberties Union, Alianza Americas, Casa Ruby, ELCA AMMPARO, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, Immigration Equality, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, DC Public Health Awakened, Public Health Awakened DC, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
The Welcome with Dignity Campaign is composed of more than 95 national and regional organizations committed to transforming the way the United States receives and protects people forced to flee their homes to ensure they are treated humanely and fairly. To learn more and join our campaign visit: welcomewithdignity.org
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants. Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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