Statement on new immigration restrictions and intensified enforcement operations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2025
Contact: Timothy Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org

Washington, D.C. – Global Refuge expresses its profound concern following this week’s executive actions that halt asylum protections and aggressively intensify interior immigration enforcement within the United States, setting the stage for mass deportation operations.

The newly issued executive orders seek to resume the controversial Migrant Protection Protocols (also known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy); eliminate existing legal pathways like the CHNV humanitarian parole program and CBP One application process; deploy U.S. military personnel to the border; envision large-scale expansion of immigrant detention facilities; and implement broader deportation priorities to include millions of immigrants, regardless of longstanding ties to the U.S. or lack of criminal history.

“While there is broad consensus that immigration reform is needed, a sweeping enforcement dragnet that doesn’t distinguish between serious offenders and neighbors who have been valuable community members for decades would be cruel and counterproductive,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge. “Our nation’s strength lies in thoughtful, targeted solutions, not indiscriminate policies that abdicate our moral obligations, shatter lives, and devastate local communities.”

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security issued a memo this week revoking the Protected Areas policy, which previously limited certain types of immigration enforcement at places of worship, schools, hospitals, and other sensitive locations.

“This policy existed to ensure that people could access essential services at schools, hospitals, and places of worship without fear of apprehension,” said Vignarajah. “Without it, many families may avoid seeking medical care or sending their children to school.”

Global Refuge emphasizes the importance of thoughtful immigration policy as it relates to family unity, humanitarian leadership, and the long-recognized benefits that newcomers contribute to U.S. communities and economies.

“Immigrants have enriched our country in terms of the communities they revitalize, the industries they sustain, and the economies they strengthen,” noted Vignarajah. “Let’s not make the mistake of creating a false choice between security and humanity, because America’s greatness has always been rooted in its ability to uphold both.”

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About us: 

Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, is a nonprofit serving newcomers seeking safety, support, and a share in the American dream. For 85 years, we have welcomed those seeking refuge, upholding a legacy of compassion and grace for people in crisis. We walk alongside individuals, families, and children as they begin their new lives in the United States through our work in refugee resettlement, welcome and respite services for asylum seekers, economic empowerment and employment, and family unification for unaccompanied children. To date, we have served over 800,000 people from around the globe. At Global Refuge, welcoming newcomers isn’t just our duty—it’s an inherent part of our identity, rooted in our Lutheran heritage and inspired values, and serving as a testament to our unwavering commitment to those in search of refuge.