Save the Children CEO Statement on Proposed Asylum Ban

Washington, D.C. (February 22, 2023) – After the recent announcement of a proposed rule by the Biden administration that would block asylum for a vast majority of children and families seeking safety and security in the U.S., Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of Save the Children, issued the following statement:

“This proposal is effectively a ban on asylum, undermining the rights and safety of hundreds of thousands of migrant children and families, most of whom are fleeing unimaginable violence and disasters. Rejecting their claims to asylum due to the manner they present themselves or their journey to the U.S. is morally unconscionable. In doing so, the U.S. government is knowingly and willingly subjecting asylum-seeking families and children to more – and unnecessary – danger and violence.

“While we fully understand the difficulties and complexities of rebuilding a broken immigration system, imposing restrictions on asylum and enacting policies that put children and families in danger is unacceptable. Children and families deserve better. Seeking asylum is a basic human right, protected under U.S. and international law. The Biden administration should be focused on reestablishing America as a safe haven for the persecuted.”

Save the Children – together with its political advocacy arm Save the Children Action Network – will continue to advocate on behalf of children and families to ensure they are treated legally and humanely, with dignity and respect, and work with the relevant authorities to ensure this decision is reversed.