March 1, 2021

Immigration

Since taking office, one of President Biden’s top priorities has been on improving our immigration, refugee, and asylum systems. Although the Administration has enacted or initiated many positive changes, there remains far more to be done. Below are a few highlights of our recent immigration work.

JCPA and Immigrant Rights Partners Score Big Win, Secure End to Harmful Visa Bans — On February 24, President Biden issued an executive action revoking proclamations that separated and harmed families by banning hundreds of thousands of immigrants from accessing visas and green cards. The ban impacted most family-based visas, diversity visas and some employment-based and nonimmigrant visas. The President’s action was due in large part to JCPA and other other immigrant rights groups’ advocacy. Click here to read our letter urging repeal.

JCPA Expresses Concern About the Reopening of Temporary Influx Shelter for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children — JCPA is concerned that the Biden Administration’s has decided to reopen a temporary influx shelter in Texas for unaccompanied immigrant children. These facilities have been the sites of some of the worst conditions and systemic abuses over the past few years. JCPA urges non-carceral solutions for handling fluctuating rates of child migration. We will continue monitoring the situation closely. Click here to read JCPA’s full statement.

JCPA Urges Administration to Repeal Unlawful Title 42 Deportation Order — JCPA and other human rights organizations have called on President Biden to end the misuse of Title 42 public health authority to deport asylum seekers and migrants, including children, without due process, to the very countries they have fled. The Biden Administration has continued to use this authority, issued over the objections of senior CDC officials in 2020, to deport thousands of asylum seekers, particularly Black asylum seekers.

• JCPA joined the chorus of public health, humanitarian, and faith-based groups calling for repeal. Click here to read our letter.
• We also joined 20 organizations in endorsing a Congressional “Dear Colleague” letter that garnered signatures from more than 60 members of Congress. Click here to read the press release.

American Jewish Organizations Condemn Military Rule in Burma, Call for U.S. Action — The Jewish Rohingya Justice Network (JRJN), of which JCPA is a member and cofounder, condemns the military’s coup in Burma (Myanmar), its brutal crackdown on peaceful protests, and the unjust and arbitrary detention and arrest of democratic leaders, activists, and protestors. This is the same military that has perpetrated a genocide against the Rohingya people. Click here to read the statement.

Criminal Justice

JCPA Urges Moratorium and End to Federal Death Penalty — For 17 years, the federal government placed executions on hiatus until former President Trump executed 13 people just before the end of his term. JCPA strongly opposes the death penalty. We joined with dozens of faith-based and civil rights organizations to urge the new Administration to take immediate executive action to halt all federal executions.

• ACLU Letter Urging Biden to Take Executive Actions Opposing the Death Penalty
• Interfaith Criminal Justice Coalition Statement Condemning the Death Penalty

House to Vote on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act — The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act this week. While JCPA and many other criminal justice advocates are disappointed that important improvements to police accountability and oversight provisions were not included, we have been a strong advocate for this bill and urge representatives to vote yes. This bill sets a critical floor for police conduct.

• Leadership Conference Coalition Letter Urging Improvement to the Justice in Policing Act
• JCPA Testimony on Law Enforcement Reform Submitted to House Judiciary Committee in 2020

Coalition Sign-On Letters — Click here for a list of sign-on letters JCPA joined from January through February.

To read past issues of JCPA’s update, click here.