Immigration Activists and Liberal Senators Condemn New Senate Immigration and Border Deal

The recent immigration and border deal unveiled in the Senate has faced significant opposition from various quarters, including immigration activist groups and some top immigration doves in Congress. The deal, which includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, and $20 billion in funding for border and immigration-related matters, has been criticized for its lack of amnesty for those already in the country, such as illegal immigrants who came to the country as minors, commonly referred to as ‘Dreamers.’

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has led many lawsuits against immigration policies, including Title 42, expressed its disappointment with the deal. The organization’s executive director, Anthony Romero, stated that the deal would “force the government to summarily expel people from the border without due process, restricting legal pathways for the people who need them most.”

Senator Bob Menendez, who led the push for the 2021 immigration reform bill championed by the Biden administration, called the bill unacceptable. Menendez stated that the deal was facing considerable heat from conservatives, including in the Republican-controlled House, where lawmakers have claimed the deal will regularize high levels of illegal immigration, while funding non-governmental organizations and giving legal aid to illegal immigrants.

However, the deal has also upset many on the left, with immigrant activists saying it harms migrants without giving relief. The American Immigration Council called the effort to tackle the unsustainable situation at the border in a bipartisan way a ‘great step forward’ but expressed unhappiness with the result. The organization’s executive director, Jeremy Robbins, stated that the deal was incomplete in some respects and would be unnecessarily harmful in others.

GOP senators have demanded ‘adequate time’ to review the border security bill, while Democrats have accused them of playing politics with refugees’ and other migrants’ lives. Human Rights First accused Washington of ‘playing politics in ways that threaten refugees’ and other migrants’ lives.’

Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Senate who have advocated for pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants were also furious at the bill. Senator Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., both accused the bill of reviving a Trump-era policy and failing to provide relief for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

The stance of the lawmakers and groups is at odds with the Biden administration, where President Biden, Vice President Harris, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have all urged passage of the bill. President Biden has stated that the deal would provide critical resources to address the humanitarian crisis at the border and strengthen border security.

In conclusion, the new immigration and border deal in the Senate has faced significant opposition from various quarters, including immigration activist groups and some top immigration doves in Congress. The deal, which includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, and $20 billion in funding for border and immigration-related matters, has been criticized for its lack of amnesty for those already in the country and its potential to regularize high levels of illegal immigration. The controversy surrounding the deal highlights the complex and contentious nature of immigration policy in the United States.