WASHINGTON – T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization representing over 2,300 rabbis and cantors nationwide, expressed grave concern at provisions in a supplemental funding bill which would threaten asylum protections.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, said:
“We are disturbed that this deal contains extreme lasting changes to immigration policy in exchange for one-time national security funding. The deal in discussion would create higher barriers to pass initial screening for asylum, and deny many asylum seekers fair due process. It would also create chaos at the border by unpredictably closing it when asylum seekers hit a ‘trigger number,’ and would mean that some who are denied asylum face deportation without the legal recourse they deserve.
“We recognize this deal contains components that we and partner organizations have long fought for, such as expedited work permits and expanded protections for eligible asylum seekers, including those evacuating after the fall of Kabul or escaping Russian aggression in Ukraine. However, we reject attempts to use asylum seekers as bargaining chips. It is wrong to secure protections for some groups at the expense of others, and the Senate must reject this deal. We urge lawmakers to bring forth comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform proposals which center humanity and fairness and are not tacked onto a budget deal.
“Only the worst villains in the Torah subject their fellow humans to further trauma in moments of need — from the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, who turn their backs on starving travelers and punish those who help them; to Potiphar, who throws captive Joseph in jail on fake charges; to Pharaoh, who enslaves the Israelites after they come to Egypt to escape famine and drought. Their cruelty is a lesson to do the opposite by greeting migrants and asylum seekers with dignity and compassion.
“We urge Senators to vote no on this bill, and House Democrats to stand up for the right to seeking asylum by voting no if the bill reaches that chamber.”
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Background: On Sunday, the bill text of the supplemental funding deal negotiated by Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and James Lankford (R-OK) was released. Asylum advocates were dismayed to find it contained significant border security related concessions in exchange for foreign aid for Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel, and other regions. This bill will be put to a cloture vote on Wednesday, February 8th, where it will pass if 60 or more Senators vote for it. For more detailed analysis on the bill, go to our partner National Immigrant Justice Center’s website.
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About T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights:
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.