Congress Must Welcome Immigrants, Set Model For Entire World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2023

Congress Must Welcome Immigrants, Set Model For Entire World

Washington, D.C. – Recently there has been a flurry of legislative proposals and bills that, if enacted, will harm countless im/migrants and communities in the United States and around the world. Twelve Democrats and one Independent introduced S.B. 1600, legislation that would further bloat the budgets for dangerous enforcement at the border. This follows other violent bills like H.R. 2 that would incarcerate anyone who overstays their visa, a bill from Senators Sinema (I-AZ) and Tillis (R-NC) that would expel migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, and its counterpart in the House from Congressmen Golden (D-ME) and Fitzpatrick (R-PA).

The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) condemns these legislative efforts as dangerous to the United States and the global community – citizen, migrant, and immigrant alike.

“Every person has the fundamental right to seek better opportunities, reunite with family, or escape danger and persecution,” emphasized Esther Jeon, Network Organizing Director with NAKASEC. “Whether pressed by climate change, political or economic insecurity, or personal want, people have always and will continue to move. The United States’ immigration system – all parties agree – is broken. It is outdated, insufficient, and inefficient. Instead of penalizing people for governmental shortcomings, the U.S. must prioritize human rights. Such investments include expanding possible pathways for migration, allowing people to access the regular asylum process, building infrastructure at U.S. ports of entry to support a processing system that is efficient and timely, coordinating with nonprofits and advocate groups on the ground to provide housing and other basic needs, and investing in community services across the country. Once residing in the United States, migrants’ rights need to be codified and legally protected. The United States has an opportunity to model to the world how migration and asylum can be practical, humane, and responsive.”

Media contact: Rachel Koelzer, rachel@nakasec.org, (213) 703-0992

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Founded in 1994, the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)’s mission is to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. The NAKASEC Network is HANA Center (Illinois), Hamkae Center (fka NAKASEC VA) (Virginia), Woori Center (Pennsylvania), MinKwon Center for Community Action (New York & New Jersey) and Woori Juntos (Texas).