Washington, DC—Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) today called the Biden Administration’s reported plans to end Title 42 in May a welcome and long-overdue policy shift that will help return the United States to its founding principles as a nation that protects the most vulnerable. KIND President Wendy Young issued the following statement:
“Countless lives will be saved with the end of Title 42. Wrong-headed from the start, Title 42 caused widespread suffering and endangered the lives of thousands, including vulnerable children and families seeking protection. But on its own, the termination of Title 42 alone is insufficient. The Administration must also reverse port of entry restrictions that block unaccompanied children from requesting humanitarian relief at official border crossings, in many cases compelling them to pursue more dangerous routes in search of safety. Additionally, the Administration should take proactive steps to ensure the safe and orderly reception of unaccompanied children, families, and others arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border who have been waiting to seek protection for more than two years. Hiring child welfare professionals to screen and care for arriving children and co-locating Office of Refugee Resettlement staff at the border to facilitate children’s safe and timely release to sponsors are among the actions the Administration can immediately take to ensure humanitarian reception while upholding our nation’s laws and a return to the core values that were violated under Title 42 and port of entry closures.”
The Path Forward: Ensuring Humane and Orderly Processing at the U.S.-Mexico Border
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Media Contact: Megan McKenna, mmckenna@supportkind.org, 202-631-9990