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Asian American Civil Rights Groups Applaud the Court Decision to Block Title 42, An Important Step in Restoring and Rebuilding Asylum at the Border
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated and ended the Title 42 policy yesterday, ruling that the government’s decision to implement the policy was “arbitrary and capricious” and not justified by the administration’s health-related rationale. The Title 42 policy resulted in millions of expulsions of asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution, supposedly in the name of public health.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, issues the following statement in reaction to the ruling:
“Asian Americans Advancing Justice welcomes the district court’s decision to strike down the discriminatory and cruel Title 42 policy. This ruling confirms what immigrant community members and advocates have been saying all along: this policy was never about public health. Instead, this policy has been used to target Black and Brown migrants at the border.
“For more than two years, Title 42 has been used to expel and deport hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and migrants and has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis at the border. Refugees and asylum seekers deserve an immigration system that protects them and keeps families together. The U.S. must provide a welcoming and functional system for those seeking safety instead of shirking its moral and legal responsibilities. We specifically urge the administration to turn away from immigration detention and surveillance, and instead welcome asylum-seekers and migrants with dignity.
“We call on the Biden administration to accept this decision to put an end to Title 42 once and for all and urge Congress to reject any future efforts to extend this failed program.”