OCA Denounces Biden Administration’s New Immigration Restrictions
For Immediate Release
June 6, 2024
Media Contact:
Socheata Sun, Communications Associate
socheata.sun@ocanational.org
Washington, D.C. — OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates strongly denounces the Biden Administration's executive order, which introduces new measures targeting asylum seekers and migrants arriving at the Southern border. These measures would enable the swift expulsion of those who cross between ports of entry without undergoing personalized review.
“We oppose an executive order that undermines established norms and rights of asylum seekers grounded in due process,” stated OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates National President Linda Ng. “Throughout history, U.S. immigration policies have unfairly targeted immigrants from regions beyond Europe, evident in laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act. These new policies will only worsen our nation's xenophobic tendencies, heightened by recent rhetoric that stokes unfounded fears of xenophobia.”
“We must strive to establish policies and laws that ensure a safe and dignified process for asylum seekers and migrants," stated OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates Executive Director Thu Nguyen. "It is deeply concerning that these new policies are going into effect as we honor Immigrant Heritage Month. The right to seek asylum is both a legal and human right. Disregarding this right not only violates our moral and legal obligations but also proves to be ineffective. Far from offering solutions, these policies exacerbate the hardships of vulnerable individuals seeking safety."
OCA urges the Biden Administration and Congress to prioritize adopting humane and orderly approaches to managing migration, abandoning measures centered on denial and expulsion. Every individual arriving at the Southern border seeking asylum must be afforded the fundamental right to have their case heard and evaluated, rather than turned away.
###
About OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.