Joco Today

On May 11, 2023, in a letter to United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Representative Sharice Davids urged the Biden Administration to work across the aisle in determining a comprehensive immigration plan, as Congress will debate the issue in the coming weeks. More than one year ago, Davids said the Title 42 public health order should remain in place until a bipartisan plan was reached. Now that the Covid-19 national emergency is ending, the Administration will unilaterally terminate the order this Thursday, May 11, without a long-term solution in place.

"As the President has decided to lift [Title 42] this week, we now face a doubling of illegal crossings at our southern border by some estimates, exacerbating the current humanitarian and refugee crisis," wrote Davids. "U.S. House Republicans plan to initiate debate about immigration reform in the coming weeks. I urge you and the White House to join me in engaging in these conversations about what the landscape for immigration reform in our country should look like."

"We must make clear to the American people that we are taking this challenge seriously and are ready to find solutions. You have had a year to engage prior to the lifting of Title 42, and I hope that you and the President both recommit to working with Congress to achieve real results," Davids continued.

In March 2022, the Biden Administration warned of increased migration flows immediately following the end of Title 42, but in the last year, the Administration has taken no action to find a comprehensive, bipartisan solution. Now, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is preparing for as many as 10,000 migrants to cross the southern border each day after the order ends, which would almost double the daily average from this past March.

While the Administration has rolled out temporary solutions to combat the influx, today, Davids is repeating her call for the Administration to work with Congressional Republicans and Democrats to achieve a long-term solution to fix our country's broken immigration system.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas

Secretary of Homeland Security

Washington, DC 20528

Secretary Mayorkas,

More than a year ago, I expressed my reservations about the Biden Administration's lifting of the Title 42 public health order, stating at the time "I'd like to see a more comprehensive plan, ideally with bipartisan support, before we lift the restriction."

As the President has decided to lift the order this week, we now face a doubling of illegal crossings at our southern border by some estimates, exacerbating the current humanitarian and refugee crisis. While you have presented a list of ways you plan to address the surge of migration, some of which I agree with, we still have not reached a comprehensive, long-term plan with bipartisan support.

U.S. House Republicans plan to initiate debate about immigration reform in the coming weeks. I urge you and the White House to join me in engaging in these conversations about what the landscape for immigration reform in our country should look like.

Ultimately, we need a comprehensive and bipartisan solution that is smart, humane, and true to our country's values. That must include securing and protecting our borders along with a roadmap to citizenship, especially for people who have served in our military and Dreamers.

As Congress considers immigration reform in the coming weeks, we must make clear to the American people that we are taking this challenge seriously and are ready to find solutions. You have had a year to engage prior to the lifting of Title 42, and I hope that you and the President both recommit to working with Congress to achieve real results.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Sharice L. Davids

Member of Congress

Original source can be found here.