Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation & Operations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
On behalf of our 3 million members and the 50 million students they serve, we welcome the opportunity to submit for the record the following comments in connection with tomorrow’s hearing, “Examining Title 42 and the Need to Restore Asylum at the Border.”
We are pleased that the Biden administration plans to repeal Title 42 effective May 23, 2022, the Trump-era policy that expels people seeking asylum at the border back under the guise of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Human rights organizations have documented nearly 10,000 instances of people being kidnapped, tortured, sexually assaulted, and murdered as a result of this disingenuous and misguided policy.
Title 42 is at odds with our nation’s history and vision of a fair and humane asylum system. Repealing it is a crucial step in the right direction. But that step should be taken immediately, not deferred for seven weeks. The American people support fair and humane policies towards people fleeing persecution—policies that keep families together and manage migration and our borders safely and with dignity.
We thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association
