Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) released the following statement on the end of Title 42 and her vote against the Republican-led H.R. 2, which would undermine the economy and food supply chain, end the asylum system, jail children and families indefinitely, worsen the situation at the border, and criminalize visa overstays.

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs also led Reps. Scott Peters (CA-50), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Raul Ruiz (CA-25) in sending a letter to President Biden calling for the additional funds of the $800 million appropriated through the FY23 Omnibus law to be dispersed quickly to organizations and local governments along the California border with Mexico.

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs said: “Congressional Republicans are co-conspirators in perpetuating our broken immigration system. For decades, Republicans have refused to come to the table with real, workable solutions and have instead chosen to keep the system broken in order to stoke xenophobic fear and hysteria. I’m glad that the Biden-Harris Administration has finally ended Title 42 – a public health order created not to protect our public safety, but to heighten racist sentiments and deter migration to the U.S. We have a legal obligation to welcome those seeking asylum and fleeing violence, bloodshed, and instability, and under Title 42, the U.S. has squandered that responsibility.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has prepared for the end of Title 42, but no amount of planning can make up for the fact that Congress has abdicated its responsibility to pass comprehensive and inclusive immigration reform for decades. Ultimately, it’s on Congress to restore our asylum and refugee systems, expand legal pathways for migration including for Dreamers, address the immigration case backlog by hiring more immigration judges, and properly support local and state governments so they can welcome and care for those arriving at our border. I stand ready to do that work and urge my Republican colleagues to finally come to the table. In the short term, I’m leading the call for additional funds – which Congress already secured last year – to be directed to non-profits and service providers in border communities like San Diego. San Diego has proven that – with adequate resources and strong partnerships on the ground – we can welcome and care for asylum seekers fleeing violence and unrest in an orderly and humane way.

“I’m disappointed that my Republican colleagues’ response to this moment is introducing H.R. 2, which fails to address our short-term or long-term needs at the border and instead will end our asylum system, mandate indefinite detention of families, strip away all protections for unaccompanied children, and block a crucial demographic from entering our country to fill much-needed jobs. This is an embarrassing response to a real need in our border communities, and I hope Speaker McCarthy will stop playing games and get serious about fulfilling Congress’s responsibility to address our broken immigration system.”

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