LWV Demands Immediate Action to Resolve the Inhumane Treatment for Asylum Seekers

On June 24, 2019, LWVUS released the following statement calling on Congress to “pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes a long-term plan for asylum seekers,” which we are reprinting in full below.

WASHINGTON –  June 24, 2019

Today the League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Virginia Kase issued the following statement on the situation at the U.S. southern border:

“For nearly a year now, Americans have watched in horror as children have been ripped from their parents’ arms and detained in inhumane conditions along our southern border. The trauma of family separations and children in cages will have a lasting impact for generations to come.

“This administration is responsible for creating these conditions and has the duty to rectify this crisis. The U.S. government must expedite asylum processing, improve housing conditions, provide humane care, and reunite families at the border.

“Seeking asylum is not a crime. Refugees from Central America are fleeing dangerous conditions in their home countries, risking everything to survive. They must be greeted with dignity and respect.

“The administration’s 'no tolerance' policy for asylum seekers has created constant fear and chaos for immigrant families while doing nothing to strengthen our national security. We call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes a long-term plan for asylum seekers and a commitment to all refugees seeking freedom in our great nation.

“America must do better than this.”