Today Rev. Dr. Bill Lyons, Conference Minister for the United Church of Christ in Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas issued the following statement calling for the immediate end of Title 42.
As a person of faith and the spiritual leader for the United Church of Christ in Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, I am calling on the Biden administration to immediately end Title 42.
That Trump-era policy continued by the Biden administration expels asylum seekers without due process of law. Title 42 is based on the false choice between welcoming people fleeing violence and protecting communities from COVID19. We can do both!
Persons expelled to Mexico on Biden's watch have suffered 3,000+ kidnappings, rapes, and other violent assaults. The conditions forced upon detainees increase risks for COVID19 and decease public health - the opposite of what Title 42 defenders claim as the need for the policy. Asylum seekers interviewed by Physicians for Human Rights confirmed the profoundly harmful impact of expulsions and family separation. 96% of our migrating neighbors interviewed screened positive for at least one mental health diagnosis, 88% suffered PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Interviewees reported that U. S. border agents routinely refused to provide basic information to detainees, frequently deceived and shared false information with asylum seekers, and lied to people about being reunited with their families. Title 42 is a xenophobic measure that worsens public health for government agents as well as asylum seekers.
The Southwest Conference United Church of Christ joins the Welcome with Dignity campaign calling on the Biden administration and national legislators to:
End Title 42 expulsions completely and restore access to asylum
End the return of refugees to danger and family separation
Establish and fund community-run welcoming hubs at our border for arriving families and adults
Develop a humanitarian reception system that includes case management infrastructure
Provide legal representation, case support, work authorization, and a fair, timely process for people seeking asylum.
Today a march and vigil will be held in Washington, D.C. calling for an end to Title 42. I invite and urge all people of faith to join this movement by signing the Restore Asylum Now petition.