FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Laura Trask
Director of Development & Communications
[email protected]
Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2024) – Today, Ayuda joined the Rally to Save Asylum to oppose the proposed harmful changes to our immigration system. Negotiators in the Senate are nearing a supplemental funding deal that would trade foreign aid for restrictive anti-immigration legislation. Proposals threaten to limit legal pathways and increase expedited removal, risking more detentions, family separations, and the deportation of asylum seekers, many of whom would face persecution and death in their home countries.
Ayuda joins immigration advocates across the country in calling for Congress and the Biden administration to safeguard asylum and protect vulnerable immigrant groups.
Members of Ayuda’s newly formed Community Advisory Council (CAC) attended the rally, including Danilo Castro, who is intimately aware of the significance of asylum:
“Asylum has been incredibly important in my life; it prevented my deportation to my home country where I am undoubtedly sure I would no longer have the right to life and liberty. It helped me feel protected and not live in fear of being persecuted because of my identity. Asylum is our only chance to protect our lives, rights, and liberties. If it is gutted or if more obstacles are put in the way of access, I can say without a doubt that it will result in loss of life for innocent people.”
Together with community partner organizations and national advocacy organizations, CAC members and Ayuda staff sent a strong message to Congress: immigrant rights should be not used as bargaining chips.
Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right, recognized under both international and U.S. law.
Ayuda rigorously screens and represents asylum applicants, guiding them through the complex immigration legal system. Many of our clients have endured intense hardships on their journey to safety. Yet despite these obstacles, they and other asylum seekers become integral members of our communities.
We stand firm in our support for our immigrant community and others seeking safety in the U.S. We call on Congress and the Biden administration to reject harmful immigration proposals that would put families and individuals in danger.
###
About Ayuda:
Ayuda provides direct legal, social, and language access services to low-income immigrants in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Since 1973, Ayuda has served more than 150,000 immigrants throughout the region. Ayuda is the only nonprofit service provider in the area that provides a wide range of immigration and family law assistance, social services, and language access support for all immigrants – including women, men, and children – from anywhere in the world.
