In the letters to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, 103 Democrats were led by Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)—the respective ranking members of the House Judiciary Committee and Immigration Subcommittee.
Administration officials were urged in the letter to “use all available tools to provide stability to undocumented individuals and recently arrived illegal immigrants, seeking to work lawfully, support their families, and contribute to the economy.”
The letter underscores what the lawmakers consider an urgent need for the administration to take decisive action aimed at providing stability to recently arrived illegal immigrants seeking asylum.
Among the key proposals presented in the letter are calls to alleviate the delays in granting work authorizations to illegal immigrants due to significant immigration court backlogs.
The lawmakers asserted in their letter that due to current regulations, “asylum seekers are forced to rely on underfunded community groups to provide them with everything from housing to food to health services. This is particularly troubling given the tight labor market we are experiencing across the country.
“Millions of new arrivals deserve dignified labor and a chance at rebuilding their lives, and allowing them to swiftly enter the formal workforce will bolster economic growth and support struggling industries.
“Allowing earlier access to work permits would decrease the pressure on states, cities, localities, and other community groups and provide asylum seekers with the opportunity to live more independent lives, find legal representation, and increase economic growth.”
The lawmakers propose allowing illegal immigrants to apply for work authorization from the moment they file their asylum claims, thereby facilitating their ability to work, support their families, and contribute to the U.S. economy.
Additionally, the letter suggests considering humanitarian parole for migrants who entered the country during the use of Title 42, emphasizing thorough vetting processes by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Furthermore, the letter highlights concerns about a substantial backlog in the “provisional waiver” program, with wait times exceeding three years.
The lawmakers implore the administration to take immediate steps to address this backlog, including potential humanitarian parole for individuals stuck in the queue.
Finally, the letter recommends streamlining the cancellation of removal procedures for non-lawful permanent residents, making it more accessible and efficient for those eligible.
“Unfortunately, because cancellation of removal applications generally may be filed only once an individual is in removal proceedings, many individuals are not aware of and are unable to apply for this important form of relief,” the lawmakers said.
“Paradoxically, an individual who is more likely to be granted cancellation of removal and adjustment of status is less likely to access this relief because they will not be a priority for removal.”
This measure would allow individuals to seek preliminary determinations of their eligibility for relief and potentially pave the way to lawful permanent resident status.
The lawmakers acknowledge the challenges in achieving legislative reforms in immigration but emphasize the importance of utilizing existing authorities to make meaningful changes in immigration policies.
The news of this letter comes on the heels of a report asserting that the Biden administration doesn’t have information to locate more than 177,000 illegal immigrants it released into the interior of the United States.
More than 177,000 freed illegal immigrants did not have addresses or had addresses that were invalid, according to a study of 981,671 documents by the DHS inspector general.
Undeliverable addresses and addresses for illegal immigrants at organizations like charities and government institutions were included in this category.
“The notable percentage of missing, invalid, or duplicate addresses on file means DHS may not be able to locate migrants following their release into the United States.”
The White House did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.
