Senate Border Deal Sparks Concerns: A Missed Opportunity for Immigration Protections

San Juan, TX — The new bipartisan Senate border deal proposal is garnering attention for all the wrong reasons. Rather than addressing the root causes of migration or providing solutions to long-standing issues, the bill perpetuates a cycle of inhumane enforcement without addressing the human and civil rights violations against asylum-seekers and undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years.

La Unión del Pueblo Entero’s Executive Director, Tania Camacho Chavez, expressed deep concerns about the potential ramifications against immigrant and asylum seekers at the Texas-Mexico border:

“This Senate proposal reflects a preference for divisive rhetoric over real legal and policy solutions. For decades, the immigrant rights movement, along with those directly impacted, has advocated for meaningful reforms to our immigration laws. Unfortunately, what the Senate has presented is a betrayal of those efforts and a letdown for immigrant communities along the Rio Grande Valley. Immigrants are not political pawns and should not be held hostage for extreme and inhumane proposals. Congress must reject the harmful policy changes in this proposed Senate supplemental funding bill. 

We call on Congress to prioritize funding that ensures the dignity of individuals at our borders, without resorting to increased militarization. It is imperative for Congress to immediately reject this proposal and others that compromise the right to seek asylum. 

LUPE continues to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses systemic inequities, ensures genuine accessibility to asylum, and challenges state policies like Operation Lone Star that target and incarcerate people of color and immigrant communities.”

To arrange virtual or in person interviews contact Ramiro Gonzalez, LUPE Communications Coordinator, at (956) 360-4277 or ramirog@lupenet.org. Interviews available in English and Spanish.