HRF Statement on Trump Sending Troops to Border

In response to reports that the Trump administration is sending troops to the border in response to a legal challenge to its policy of blocking asylum-seekers in Mexico, Human Rights First’s President and CEO Michael Breen issued the following statement:

“Further militarizing the border is a waste of time and resources. Lawyers and judges able to fairly adjudicate asylum cases should greet refugees, not the military.

“Instead of trying to falsely paint asylum seekers and their attorneys as a threat to the country, Trump administration officials should be working with legal and refugee assistance organizations to bring the dangerous and illegal Remain in Mexico policy to an end. Today, 153 legal representation, refugee assistance, faith-based, human rights, and community groups wrote to Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, urging him to end the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (“MPP”) and allow asylum seekers to pursue refugee protection from safety in the United States as required by U.S. law and treaties. They informed him that they stand ready to provide legal representation and humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers in the United States.”