Action Alert: Add Your Voice to Stop the Proposed Transit Ban

Act now!

Add your voice to the Federal Register of public comments before March 27. Denounce the discriminatory federal mandate for those exercising their right to migrate, forcing them to first apply for asylum in the country they pass through to reach the U.S. border. Click here to submit a comment.

What is the “Transit Ban”?

The Biden administration has plans to implement a new version of one of the most notorious policies of the Trump era. While attempting to distinguish its asylum ban from previous harmful policies, it still has the same effect: denying asylum-seekers the protection they need in the United States. The ban, when implemented, would automatically mandate any person exercising their right to migrate must first apply for asylum in the country they pass through to reach the U.S. border.

This transit ban will predominantly affect those traveling to the United States through the Mexico border from Central and South America — including families who are fleeing persecution, violence, and oppression in their home country. It will disproportionately harm Black, Brown, and Indigenous asylum-seekers requesting safety at the U.S. southern border — who often cannot afford or access a visa to arrive in the United States by plane and instead must trek across multiple countries to arrive at the border. It puts Indigenous women and girls at heightened risk for human trafficking, sexual violence, and extortion throughout their journeys.

International law protects the rights of asylum-seekers and prohibits their return to danger, persecution, and torture, regardless of how they arrive in the United States. The rule would unlawfully deny this protection to asylum-seekers and place them in harm’s way again to face the very real threats of extortion, rape, human trafficking, and torture in transit countries.

How you can take action.

Add your comments to the Federal Register telling the Biden administration that the United States must live up to our international obligations to asylum-seekers and treat people seeking freedom and safety with the dignity they deserve — not deport them back to danger or place them further in harm’s way.

The government is required to review and respond to unique comments in writing in the Federal Register. To make sure the government counts and considers your comment, please edit our pre-drafted suggestion to make it unique — duplicate comments will otherwise be lumped together and responded to as one.

Important: Please add your comment to tell them how this rule will harm asylum-seekers before the comment period closes on March 27.

Tips for Writing Your Comment and Example Talking Points

Tip #1: Use your own words. The relevant departments have to respond to all unique comments, so please use the information above as a starting place and add your own voice.

Tip #2: Offer information on your areas of expertise, educational and professional background, or involvement with immigration issues.

Tip #3: Use the suggested talking points below, UUSC’s public statement, your UU principles and/or other statements of our faith to guide your comment.

Suggested Talking Points

“The United States must adhere to domestic and international law protecting the right of the world’s most vulnerable to apply for asylum.”

“This proposed rule would put families and other vulnerable migrants seeking protection along the U.S. southern border in further danger.”

“Increasing legal pathways for entry for some cannot come at the expense of restricting access of asylum seekers who are coming to our country for protection.”

Image Credit: UUSC