Nearly two months ago, as the Biden administration prepared to expel thousands of Haitian and other Black migrants seeking asylum at the southern border, the Vera Institute of Justice joined more than 30 human rights organizations in a letter urging President Biden to stop this inhumane treatment of Black migrants and instead restore asylum access by ending Title 42, the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), and other policies that criminalize and cage asylum-seeking families.

Today, after scores of Black migrants seeking asylum have already been expelled, the Biden administration continues to press forward with Title 42 and MPP. The Vera Institute of Justice rejoins these organizations in urging the President to uphold the U.S.’s obligation to restore asylum protections, end detention, and stop this anti-Black and xenophobic legacy.

Kica Matos, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Vera Institute of Justice, issued the following statement in the joint press release:

“The President is failing to lead at this critical and legacy-defining moment. Not only has he done little to stop the expulsions and mistreatment of asylum-seeking families—most of whom are Black or Indigenous migrants—but he also continues to defend some of the most cruel, inhumane, and unlawful immigration policies of the Trump-era. The President is squandering a historic opportunity to break free from decades of failed practice that equates detention and deterrence with due process and dignity. President Biden can end this cycle if he starts to create an immigration system grounded in human rights and an end to detention. The President must step up and lead on immigration.”

About the Vera Institute of Justice
The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and activists working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.