To the Editor:
Re: “Who Gets In? A Guide to America’s Chaotic Border Rules” (news article, May 17):
The end of Title 42 and the new asylum restrictions create a second-class status in the U.S.
Although the Biden administration offers a “humanitarian parole” option for asylum seekers from select countries, that is merely permission to work for two years, with no pathway to permanent legal status. Like DACA, it creates indefinite uncertainty.
For decades, American values have been centered around family and community. We must redefine the purpose of our immigration system to strengthen our communities in line with these core principles.
As an immigration attorney and a senior program director at Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition, I’ve worked with over a thousand immigrants at risk of deportation. Based on our data, for every adult in detention, there are 1.5 children separated from their parents.
Those are horrifying rates of family separation. But there are solutions, such as the Fairness to Freedom Act of 2023, which would establish the universal right to legal representation for those facing deportation.
