National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators Reacts to President Biden’s Executive Order on Immigration

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, responding to President Joe Biden’s border executive order, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) released the following statement:

“The existence of this executive order highlights our ongoing call for comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and essential workers. Our caucus has called on Congress over and over and over to fulfill this long-promised reform. Until then, our immigration system will continue to rely on executive orders that may provide limited relief but also have the potential to be destructive, toxic, ineffective and a waste of taxpayer money. We believe today’s order is more problematic than beneficial. It is even more restrictive than the bipartisan immigration bill recently discussed in the Senate, which we did not support.

"Anti-immigration policies will severely impact our economy. Immigration significantly contributes to historically low unemployment, controlling inflation, and increasing government revenue. It fills essential positions in industries such as service, construction, supply chain, and agriculture. Ignoring the crucial role immigrants play in our economy and workforce is a costly mistake, especially considering the impact of hostile policies like Florida's S.B. 1718 enacted in 2023. This is why we joined the American Business Immigration Coalition in urging President Biden to use his parole authority to extend work permits to long-term contributors.

"While we understand the importance of protecting children and victims of human trafficking, we are concerned that this order undermines the credible fear basis of our asylum process by preventing qualified individuals from applying during certain closures. Additionally, we are alarmed by the daily cap on asylum seekers, which extends not only to the southern border but also to other U.S. territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is lower than the cap proposed in the Senate bill.

"We urge Congress to deliver the immigration reform our country urgently needs and for President Biden to use his authority to provide necessary relief, not harm, to our communities."

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The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) is the premier national association of Hispanic state legislators working to design and implement policies and procedures that will improve the quality of life for Hispanics throughout the country. NHCSL was founded in 1989 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to be the most effective voice for the more than 450 Hispanic legislators. For more information visit www.nhcsl.org.