Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took
care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Matthew 25: 34-35
The WDC Immigration Task Force reminds us that our vote in the national election represents a voice for those who cannot vote. Please consider the following thumbnail comparison between the two presidential candidates in the election of 2020 on immigration policy, asylum and deportation.
BIDEN:
- Reverse current policies: stop construction of border wall, eliminate the practice of separating families at the U.S. border, and end current bans on people from certain Muslim-majority countries traveling to the U.S.
- Reverse current restrictions toward granting asylum and temporary protected status and raise the cap on the number of refugees brought into the country to 125,000 per year.
- Make Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, permanent on first day of presidency.
- Hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as Customs and Border Protection accountable
for inhumane treatment. - Modernize immigration infrastructure: send legislation to Congress that would offer a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented people in the country.
- Call for a moratorium on deportations during the first 100 days of his administration. Then, focus on those with criminal convictions and improve case management.
- Make both permanent and temporary work visas more accessible.
Propose initiatives for supporting immigrants living in the U.S. for resources on accessible health care, education, and employment.
TRUMP:
- Build on foundation set in first term and current policies:
- continue construction of the border wall;
- restrict immigration;
- oppose so-called sanctuary cities, where local law enforcement has limited coordination with federal immigration officials.
- End human trafficking and remove ‘non-citizen gang members’ from the country (without details)
- Continue to tighten regulations on legal immigration and international work travel to the U.S. by limiting the distribution of visas with the rationale of boosting American employment
- Limit the number of people allowed to successfully obtain asylum in the U.S.
(report by NPR White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe and political correspondent Asma Khalid)