December 19, 2023 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) condemns Texas Senate Bill 4 (SB4) and urges the U.S. federal government to take all available legal steps to prevent its implementation. The bill, adopted by the Texas legislature in November and signed into law by Governor Abbott yesterday, will target communities of color, violates the US Constitution, undermines the right to seek asylum, and is counter-productive to a humane, safe, and orderly asylum system.
Hans Van de Weerd, Senior Vice President for Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration, said:
Texas has chosen to implement a series of cynical and harmful policies and laws that are creating chaos at the border, endangering lives, and exacerbating humanitarian challenges for people seeking protection. Moreover, these policies and laws will have lasting economic consequences. Refugees and immigrants contribute to Texas and the broader U.S. by filling essential jobs, starting new businesses, and paying taxes - contributions which are all endangered under these counterproductive policies.
We are deeply concerned for communities of color in Texas, including our refugee and asylum-seeking clients who have fled persecution and conflict for safety in this country. Texas SB4 creates broad new powers for state authorities to detain and question anyone suspected of having crossed the border, which will open the door to targeting of people based on the color of their skin or the accent in their voice.
While Texas has chosen a cruel, counterproductive approach, many other states and localities have demonstrated successful solutions for reception of newcomers and in creating economic opportunities to support integration for new Americans. More states and cities should:
- establish and/or expand Offices of New Americans or Mayor’s Offices of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to coordinate local responses,
- invest in legal services for immigrant communities - a significant need not met by the federal government, and
- partner with nonprofit organizations to provide humanitarian reception and information services, as has been done in Arizona with the IRC’s Welcome Center and other local organizations.
These welcome steps by states and cities to meet unfulfilled humanitarian needs and address policy gaps are a reminder of the urgent need for federal leadership. The Biden Administration and Congress should take bipartisan action to:
- set forth a comprehensive framework for a humane and orderly response to asylum seekers in the U.S. that includes support for border and interior communities, expands proven and cost-effective programs like community-based case management that help people navigate the asylum process, and ensures asylum seekers can work to support themselves, and
- expand and improve other pathways to protection to the United States that can provide some people seeking protection a safe alternative to reach the country.
Congress and the President must also soundly reject counterproductive proposals reportedly under consideration that would gut asylum protections and effectively ratify the extreme, anti-immigrant approach Texas has taken.