New name, same mission! LIRS is now Global Refuge. Learn more.

Stand with refugees.

With the election decided, we know mass deportations and an end to refugee resettlement may be ahead. Help us protect families now!

The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Donate
Start of main content.

Press Release

Global Refuge responds to President Biden statement on immigration negotiations

Global Refuge Staff

January 29, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 29, 2023

Contact: Tim Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org

Baltimore, MD – Global Refuge is deeply troubled by President Biden’s statement on bipartisan senate negotiations concerning immigration policy, touting “a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”

In response to President Biden’s statement, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge, said:

“There is an urgent need for legitimate debate about modernizing our immigration system, because the status quo is not sustainable. While bipartisanship requires compromise, Title 42 expulsions by another name would be devastating to families seeking safety, just as it would be to our nation’s reputation as a global humanitarian leader. It would be deeply misguided to revive an expulsion policy that contributed to more disorder and repeat crossings at the southern border.”

“Policy makers should instead focus on managing migration humanely and efficiently in order to align our immigration system with our humanitarian values and economic needs. Meaningful solutions to this challenge lie in stronger federal coordination, expedited access to work permits, and robust investments in processing capacity, immigration courts, and community-based support programs. We’ve proposed real solutions like a national case management system to stop the disorder that some politicians are seeking to exploit.”

“Regardless of their nationality, people seeking safety deserve to be treated humanely, have their cases adjudicated in a timely manner, and be positioned to quickly become contributors to their new communities. Congress has a rare opportunity to finally reform the system and the President has signaled his support for this action. We cannot lose this moment.”

The Latest

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    November 6, 2024

    Global Refuge Reaffirms Commitment to Refugees and Immigrants as Nation Prepares for New Administration

    In the wake of the 2024 presidential election, Global Refuge remains steadfast in its mission to serve vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities across the United States.

    Read More
  • News

    October 31, 2024

    What’s America’s superpower? Immigration, says Global Refuge’s Krish O’Mara Vignarajah

    Global Refuge President & CEO Krish O’Mara Vignarajah recently took the stage at TEDxApex Women in Apex, North Carolina to make the case that the United States owes its preeminence on the global stage to one key asset: immigration.  

    Read More
  • Advocacy · Immigration and Asylum

    October 23, 2024

    What is the CHNV Parole Program?

    The Biden administration opened a new program allowing certain nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to apply for entry to  the U.S. for a temporary stay of up to two years.

    Read More
  • Advocacy

    October 17, 2024

    Six Migration and Climate Displacement Takeaways from Climate Week NYC

    The Global Refuge Advocacy team attended the 2024 Climate Week NYC—a massive gathering of practitioners from public policy, philanthropy, the private sector, science, and other disciplines focused on the climate crisis.

    Read More
  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    September 30, 2024

    U.S. Resettles Most Refugees in Three Decades, Maintains FY 2025 Refugee Cap at 125,000

    The White House announced today that President Biden has officially signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Presidential Determination on refugee admissions, maintaining the annual cap at 125,000 refugees.

    Read More

Share