Latinos Turn on Biden Over 'Alarming' Border Bill

Southern border legislation being weighed in the United States Senate is an "alarming" response to the ongoing immigration debate, says the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization.

The 370-page bill introduced on Sunday is described by some as the most comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. in some four decades, including emergency powers for the federal government to deter migrants in large numbers in addition to a multitude of changes for those legally seeking asylum. It also earmarks $14 billion and $60 billion in aid to Israel and Ukraine, respectively.

But the legislation doesn't go far enough, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who, following the proposal's introduction, said it was "worse" than House Republicans expected—a potentially debilitating blow to months of negotiations.

Janet Murguía, CEO of the nonprofit and nonpartisan organization UnidosUS, said Sunday that the legislation has resulted in "deep disappointment" with the Biden administration and senators who helped compose a bill that she says lacks any significant resolution to the long-term status of undocumented immigrants—notably those from Latino communities.

"It is insulting and outrageous that our Latino leaders, who represent the communities most impacted by this proposal, were not included in these negotiations," Murguía said. "This deal is an alarming sign that we are headed in the wrong direction on immigration policy.

"The only workable solution is a broad plan that deals with all aspects of our outdated immigration system—including a functioning asylum process as part of a safe, secure border; legal status for long-term residents, including DREAMers; and prioritizing the ability of future workers to enter legally to fulfill the needs of our economy."

Susan Collins, senior director of legislative affairs at UnidosUS, told Newsweek via email that the organization is "taking a thoughtful and strong position" against the Senate bill because of the impact on Latino communities. She said their opposition is not personal toward any elected official.

UnidosUS wants "broad, bold reforms," she said, including reforms to the asylum process that brings order to our border; reforms to the legal immigration system so that people come legally with visas instead of with smugglers; and a plan "that once and for all" resolves the status of undocumented migrants who have deep family and economic roots in the U.S. and have long been a part of our families, churches, schools and neighborhoods.

"An enforcement-only solution would likely not help make the border more orderly or secure, as the [bill] authors hope," Collins said. "It will force desperate migrants into the arms of smugglers and to take more dangerous routes to reach the U.S.

"In our view, the bill limits access to asylum so much that we think it will result in legitimate asylum seekers being sent back to the threats that made them leave home in the first place."

Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, another Latino nonprofit based in El Paso, Texas, also expressed resentment toward the legislation, claiming it "bundles one-time aid for foreign wars with anti-immigrant provisions that would gut the asylum system and create long-standing harm across border communities."

Marisa Limón Garza, executive director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, said the bill's language is a repeat of previous false promises from the previous 35 years and "comes at too high a cost."

"We have nothing to fear from families and children looking for safety," Garza said. "The real threat comes from President Biden and senators' cowardice in caving into selling out people's lives and our values to indulge a false politics of fear.

"We need long-term and sustainable solutions, including pathways to citizenship for DACA recipients, their loved ones, and immigrant families. We urge Congress and the Biden Administration to reject this mistaken approach and use this opportunity to uplift their promise to restore humanity to our asylum system instead."

Newsweek reached out to Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center via email for further comment.

In December, UnidosUS and 17 sister advocacy organizations urged the Biden administration to reconsider certain border security measures being negotiated—including rapid deportation and mandatory detention—that they claimed threatened the safety and security of the 62 million Latinos living in the United States.

UnidosUS says that it has helped about 1.4 million people become U.S. citizens, invested more than $2 billion as the largest Hispanic community development financial institution in the country, and has registered more than 1 million Latino voters in the past decade.

Update 2/6/24, 9:23 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from UnidosUS.