Bethany Christian Services Urges End of Title 42

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Bethany Christian Services today urged the Biden administration to allow Title 42 to expire so people seeking asylum can enter the United States through the southern border. The policy, which went into effect in 2020, prohibits asylum seekers from entering the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We welcome an end to this harmful policy,” said Chris Palusky, President and CEO of Bethany Christian Services. “Title 42 has resulted in over 1.6 million expulsions of migrants from the U.S. without due process or the opportunity to seek asylum, sending families and vulnerable children back into the dangerous conditions they fled from in the first place. As this cruel policy expires, we encourage the Biden administration to put in place humane and efficient reforms so every man, woman, and child seeking refuge in the U.S. is treated with dignity.”

“Title 42 is a cruel attack on vulnerable children and families, and we hope to see it come to an end,” said Tawnya Brown, Senior Vice President of Global, Refugee, and Immigrant Services at Bethany. “The U.S. can both uphold health and safety precautions while also providing refuge for people fleeing danger. Organizations like Bethany are prepared to respond with a trauma-informed, compassionate approach.”