New York City –
HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, commends the U.S. Senate for
passing Senator Joseph Lieberman’s (I-Conn.) amendment to the
comprehensive immigration reform bill that affords protections to
asylum seekers. Last night, the Senate voted to pass the amendment,
titled the “Secure and Safe Detention and Asylum Act,” by unanimous
consent, meaning no senator had objections to the amendment.

“By unanimously passing this amendment, the Senate has sent a
strong signal reaffirming this nation’s obligation to treat asylum
seekers with dignity, fairness, and respect as they seek refuge in our
country,” says Mark Hetfield, senior vice president for policy and
programs at HIAS. “We especially appreciate Senator Lieberman’s
dedication and commitment to ensuring the protection and fair treatment
of asylum seekers. We look forward to working with the House of
Representatives to ensure that they pass similar legislation.”  The
amendment implements the key recommendations of the congressionally
established U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which
two years ago issued a report raising serious concerns about the
protections offered asylum seekers arriving in this country.

Though pleased with the outcome of the vote on Senator Lieberman’s
amendment, HIAS is extremely disappointed that the Senate did not pass
amendments by Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.),
Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) that would have
reaffirmed our commitment to, and the value of, keeping families
together. “We had hoped that the Senate would take this opportunity to
improve the Senate bill and do what’s right for immigrant and American
families, as well as what’s right for this country” said Gideon
Aronoff, president and CEO of HIAS. “For us these amendments
represented the best chance for making this bill fair and humane. As
the Senate continues to consider additional amendments before a vote on
final passage, we urge them to restore the commitment to family
unification.” 

The pro-family amendments that failed last night included provisions
that would have: ensured that family members of U.S. citizens and
permanent residents who had played by the rules aren’t cut out of line;
ensured that U.S. permanent residents are not unnecessarily separated
from their spouses and children, and; sunset the new point system in
five years to ensure that this new untested and un-reviewed system is
serving the interests of American families and communities.

“The American public deserves a solution to our broken immigration
system, one that reflects its values and needs,” said Aronoff. “We are
hopeful, and intend to work hard to ensure, that the House will take a
different approach than the Senate and reaffirm our fundamental values
of family unity, fairness, and dignity and pass comprehensive
immigration reform that is workable and humane.”