At his town hall last week, President Biden doubled down on Vice President Harris’ xenophobic statement telling asylum-seekers ‘don’t come’ to the U.S., stating it was the administration’s position that people seeking safety should not do so in the U.S.

In response, the Welcome with Dignity Campaign, of which L4GG is a member, released a statement condemning Biden’s words, and urging Biden to uphold the right to seek asylum. The Welcome with Dignity Campaign includes 80 national and regional organizations committed to transforming the way the United States receives and protects people forced to flee their homes to ensure they are treated humanely and fairly.

“People seeking safety deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and that more often than not the current realities at the border fall short of this basic measure,” said Charlene D’Cruz, Director of Lawyers for Good Government’s Project Corazon. “Telling people ‘don’t come’ is not only insensitive, but ignores the very real root causes of migration, and the U.S.’s involvement therein. People don’t leave their homes and their families behind to make the treacherous journey north because they want to, they do it because they have no choice. Seeking asylum is a human right, one that is recognized by international and domestic law, and the Biden Administration must do everything in its power to uphold that.”

Read the statement here.