Bethany Applauds Day One Actions to Treat Vulnerable Children and Families with Compassion

Within hours of taking the oath of office, President Biden signed a series of executive orders and submitted an immigration reform bill to Congress. These actions signal a new approach to immigration in the U.S. – one that begins to repair a broken system, adheres to U.S. law, and treats vulnerable children and families with compassion. Among the measures advanced yesterday are funding for alternatives to detention so that asylum-seeking families can stay together in the community, overturning policies that barred people from certain countries from traveling to the U.S. including refugees, creating a pathway for unaccompanied children to be reunified with family members in the U.S. without undertaking a dangerous journey, and committing to address the root causes of migration from Central America.

“I commend the Biden-Harris Administration for their leadership to address our nation's broken immigration system,” said Chris Palusky, the President & CEO of Bethany. “The U.S. has historically been a beacon of freedom and refuge for the overlooked and the ignored. While this is just the first step, we can welcome the stranger among us once again. At a time of great division in our country, these proposed reforms and executive orders remind us that America can be both strong and compassionate – We can protect our borders from those seeking to do harm while also welcoming those who need protection.”

While we celebrate these changes, we urge the Biden Administration to forge a bipartisan consensus in Congress to reset the refugee resettlement ceiling at a level consistent with historic norms, allow unaccompanied children to lawfully seek protection, and reunify families who have been separated for far too long. Just like we prayed for President Trump and Vice President Pence, we are committed to praying for President Biden and Vice President Harris. At Bethany, we will continue to evaluate policies based on how they impact the children and families we serve and our historic mission.

Finally, we remain steadfast in our desire to partner with governments at all levels, houses of worship, and individuals to live out our historic mission of demonstrating the love and compassion of Jesus to vulnerable children and families. Together, we can address the greatest challenges of our time.

About Bethany Bethany is an international Christian nonprofit that is changing the world through family. 75 years ago, we began our work by serving one child. Today, we partner with churches and communities in more than 30 states and nearly a dozen countries, impacting hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Bethany demonstrates the love and compassion of Jesus by strengthening and preserving families, finding new families for children who need them, and supporting refugees and immigrants who have fled danger, because everyone deserves to be safe, loved, and connected.