West SBV Times

Washington, D.C. – The Biden Administration today announced a series of actions regarding migration across the Western Hemisphere. This includes plans to establish regional processing centers in Central and South America to facilitate legal immigration pathways to the United States. Central America Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) has repeatedly called on the Administration to take action to stabilize Central America, establish stronger protections for asylum seekers, and expand access to U.S. citizenship.

“By setting up regional processing centers in Central and South America, the President is continuing an effort he began as Vice President and making progress toward reversing the cruel immigration policies that defined the previous Administration,” said Congresswoman Torres. “While this is an important first step, this proposal does not do enough to protect those seeking asylum or address the reasons many are forced to flee their home countries.”

In its proposed plan, the Administration also outlined its intent to expand access to legal counsel for individuals facing removal from the United States. This year, Congresswoman Torres introduced the bicameral Fairness to Freedom Act, which establishes the right to legal representation for individuals facing removal proceedings.

“I am pleased that the Biden Administration is making progress on legal representation for noncitizens and investing in these regional processing centers. The actions announced today highlight the urgent need to pass my Fairness to Freedom Act, and I hope to work with the Administration on securing its passage,” continued Congresswoman Torres. “However, I remain concerned about the reliability of the CBP One application and aspects of the proposal that limit asylum eligibility. While the President is correct that Congress must do its part when it comes to immigration reform, the Administration must not backslide on treating migrants with the basic human dignity they deserve.”

The measures announced today will be implemented alongside the governments of Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, and other regional partners. Due to certain Central and South American governments having a history of corruption and political violence, migrants have been forced to flee their home countries for decades.

“These efforts are still no substitute for the necessary anti-corruption and rule of law efforts that must be prioritized in the region. I commend President Biden’s work, which he started as Vice President, to ensure the Administration has a true partnership with governments in the region to address the root causes of migration. This is the only path to long-term stabilization of the region, which will ensure that no one is forced to flee their home country,” concluded Congresswoman Torres.

For more information on Congresswoman Torres’ work on immigration, visit https://torres.house.gov/issues/immigration.

Issues: Immigration

Original source can be found here.