Will HR 2 Secure the Border at the Cost of LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers?

The U.S. House recently advanced HR 2, the “Secure the Border” Act, which aims to limit entry opportunities for asylum seekers who migrate to the country. However, the bill, introduced by the Republican party, is seen as a detrimental move for vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community, who flee fatal violence and persecution in their home countries. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and 143 other organizations have urged members of Congress to vote “no” on the legislation. LGBTQ+ asylum seekers often face systemic targeting for kidnapping, extortion, rape, and other violence besides living in fear for their lives on a global scale. The bill will only intensify the current humanitarian crisis rather than alleviate one, warn critics. Many LGBTQ+ refugees build their hopes on a lifeline to the U.S., especially those fleeing violence abroad, which is compromised by such a bill. Under the current policies of Title 42 and “Remain in Mexico,” LGBTQ+ asylum seekers' access to asylum has been continuously undermined, leading to increased risks and threats emanating from their refugee status. The Republican-led bill seeks to enhance the requirement of E-verify, the database employers use to verify immigration status, increases funding for border agents and technology, reinstates the “remain in Mexico” policy, introduces new rules for asylum seekers, and restarts the construction of the border wall.

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