Senate Funding Bill Betrays US Commitment to Refugees, Endangers Lives of People Seeking Safety

February 5, 2024 — Refugee Congress is deeply alarmed by the today’s unveiling of the Senate’s proposed “Emergency National Security Supplemental Act (H.R. 815)”  - a bill that permanently uproots and dismantles US asylum laws and endangers the lives of many families and individuals seeking safety at the border.

After months of negotiations, the Senate’s proposed legislation would, if passed, trade away fundamental protections for asylum seekers in exchange for unrelated foreign military aid funding. These extreme, dangerous changes to asylum laws include raising credible fear standards - making it more difficult for people to apply for asylum - expanding and expediting deportations, increasing the President's authority to shut down the border once a daily entry quota is met, and increasing funding for detention capacity and border construction.

The solutions proposed in this legislation do nothing to seriously address existing challenges at the border. Instead, the bill only introduces more uncertainty while increasing the dangers that vulnerable people escaping persecution, torture, and even death face. 

Refugee Congress strongly condemns this proposed bill and urges all Members of Congress to vote against it. We urge lawmakers to work together to bring forth humane and practical solutions that are in line with the US’ commitment to protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and others experiencing forced displacement.

"Asylum is a human right and should be protected,” said Andreina Zuluaga, Delegate for New Jersey. “Humanity and good faith are needed to support the right to asylum in the US and also a call to support people who are already here waiting for it.”

“It is deeply disturbing to see the U.S. go down an unconscionable path of obliterating our asylum protections through hasty negotiations that do nothing to address the root causes of displacement,” said Nili Sarit Yossinger, Executive Director. “The expanded use of detention, heightened standards for asylum claims, and new expulsion authority will also create confusion in the process of assessing these claims. These proposed compromises will not only further endanger people who are seeking safety, but it will undermine our security and the credibility of our protection laws. At a time when we are facing historic levels of forced displacement, we should be crafting solutions that are people-centered, not fear-centered.”