[UPDATED November 9, 2018] Today, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation that bans the entry of migrants between designated ports of entry, denying them their full right to seek asylum in the United States along the Southern border. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA is deeply disappointed in this announcement and urges the Administration to reconsider.

The right to petition for asylum is firmly established in U.S. and international law. It is not a crime to seek asylum, and JRS/USA continues to oppose any effort to ban entry into the U.S. based on place of origin, religion, or vulnerability.

“Our Catholic and American values call us to welcome those searching for safety and security,” says Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Director of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. “We must, as a country, continue to provide access to due process for those fleeing conflict and violence. The least among us must be afforded the opportunity to be heard and to make a claim for protection.”

As an organization working with asylum seekers, refugees, and others who have been forcibly displaced in over 50 countries around the world, JRS witnesses first-hand the risks that individuals and families take as they flee their homes in search of peace. The U.S. must continue serving as that beacon of hope for those arriving at our border and guarantee their right to seek protection.

###

Click here to take action and tell your legislators to oppose the new rules and Presidential Proclamation.