More than 1,400 Jewish clergy have signed a letter from a group of rabbis, attorneys, and advocates to members of Congress, calling on them to support "the fundamental right to seek asylum in the United States."
The letter was delivered by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a Jewish group that advocates on behalf of refugees, on July 18, according to The Hill. It asks legislators to "provide a just and humane asylum process for those seeking safety in our country."
"The right to flee one's country and seek safety in another is protected under both U.S. and international law. For those requesting asylum in the U.S., to be denied a fair process could mean a return to situations most of us cannot imagine in some of the most violent countries in the world," the letter states.
It goes on to note that migrants face "an ever-lengthening list of injustices" when seeking asylum in the U.S., including "family separation, long periods of detention in jail-like facilities, and denial of due process in their legal proceedings."
"Simply put, our country is treating these individuals as criminals, even though seeking asylum is a legal right. This must change," the letter reads.
"We are alarmed by the rising prominence of ideologies that dehumanize and vilify immigrants and refugees alongside Jews, Muslims, and so many others. We are committed to fighting hate and standing for our American and Jewish values of protecting the persecuted and welcoming the stranger, irrespective of nationality, race, or religion."
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