Bethany Christian Services Urges Continued Bipartisan Solutions to Address Immigration Crisis

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Bethany Christian Services today released the following statement after the United States Senate introduced the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, a funding bill containing several immigration reform provisions.

“At Bethany, our faith compels us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to affirm the inherent dignity of every man, woman, and child. We are grateful for this bipartisan effort and are encouraged by some of the provisions the Senate has outlined that provide legal assistance for unaccompanied children, quicker access to work permits for asylum seekers, increased resources for asylum processing, global humanitarian assistance, and the inclusion of the Afghan Adjustment Act, for which we have long been advocates. However, we are deeply concerned about aspects of the bill that would ultimately turn away refugees with true asylum claims, leading to violations of international law,” said Dr. Tawnya Brown, Senior Vice President of Global, Refugee, and Immigrant Services for Bethany Christian Services.

“Our nation must remain a beacon on the hill for those desperately searching for safety from persecution and violence–stripping away protections for asylum seekers will cause irreparable harm and tarnish our humanitarian protection leadership globally. Bethany will continue advocating for policies that protect vulnerable men, women, and children facing their darkest hour searching for safety and hope for their future,” said Liz van Zyl, Vice President of Government Affairs for Bethany Christian Services. “We call on our elected officials to boldly commit to working alongside one another to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides full protections for asylum seekers .”