Washington, DC— The Executive Orders on immigration released today by President Biden signal a significant step toward restoring humanity and commonsense into U.S. immigration policy.
“These orders will go a long way towards rebuilding the U.S. immigration system to ensure that it is rooted in both protection of the most vulnerable and security,” said KIND President Wendy Young. “This is a promising step that reflects the Biden Administration’s pledge to undo the tragic wrongs of the Trump Administration’s immigration policy. While much work lies ahead, it is imperative for the administration to return the country to a commonsense immigration approach that will enable us to address current challenges and embrace the opportunities ahead.”
KIND notes that today’s Executive Orders touch on the following issues that impact unaccompanied children on the move and are a welcome start to addressing migration in a comprehensive and compassionate way:
- The new Task Force on Family Separation dedicated to reunifying families separated under the Trump Administration is a vital first step toward providing redress for children who were tragically taken from their parents, many of whom remain separated to this day.
- The Biden Administration rightly recognizes that to address migration at the southern U.S. border, the United States must resume its leadership in tackling the root causes of migration, which prioritizes development and assistance for children, women, families, and other vulnerable populations so that fewer feel compelled to flee their countries to seek safety.
- Strengthening protection systems and opportunities for asylum seekers in the region as well as creating pathways to U.S. protection in home countries would provide viable alternatives to the treacherous journey to the United States.
- KIND applauds a return to an asylum system that serves to protect the most vulnerable and not to add nearly insurmountable barriers to safety.
Biden Administration Task Force on Family Separation: Making Families Whole
KIND Blueprint: Concrete Steps to Protect Unaccompanied Children on the Move
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Media Contact: Megan McKenna, mmckenna@supportkind.org, 202-631-9990