WASHINGTON D.C. — As the House Judiciary Committee marks up the Border Security and Enforcement Act of 2023 starting today, the following is a quote from Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum:
“This bill would undermine humanitarian protections at the border, nullify longstanding trafficking protections for unaccompanied children, and constrain our nation’s ability to respond to urgent humanitarian and national security events such as the Afghanistan evacuation and the war in Ukraine.
“Enforcement alone will not make our border more secure or orderly. Congress must provide alternative pathways for people seeking to come to the U.S. legally and maintain America’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian protections.
“Congress also must prioritize overdue fixes to our legal immigration system and legislative protections for Dreamers. The vast majority of Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike value America as a place of refuge and support a combination of solutions for the border, Dreamers and America’s farmers and farmworkers.”