Adam Isacson, WOLA’s Director for Defense Oversight, testified in The US Border Crisis and the American Solution to an International Problem, a hearing convened by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S House of Representatives on November 30.
At a time of historic migration across the Americas, WOLA highlighted the dangers of undermining the right to asylum as migrants flee violence, humanitarian crises, and authoritarian rulers. Isacson reiterated that deterrence policies have not proven to be effective and urged Congress to adapt obsolete border policies to today’s challenges.
“The UN refugee agency estimates that right now in the Western Hemisphere, there are over 22 million people on the move,” said Isacson.
“Many people are seeking asylum. That population started increasing 10 years ago. But neither the United States nor most countries around the region have adjusted to it. That’s why much of migration looks chaotic right now.”
“We have 659 immigration courts struggling to hear 2.2 million cases, many of them asylum cases,” he added.
The hearing comes as the Senate prepares to vote as early as next week on an aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in exchange for curtailing access to asylum.