Zoe Lofgren: “The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops tells us this bill would result in the U.S. sending children who have relief…”

“The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops tells us this bill would result in the U.S. sending children who have relief available to them back to the conditions they fled, and will result in many children being harmed and some being killed on their return. I join the bishops in opposing this bill. With this bill, children who have been trafficked, who have fled persecution, violence, and abuse, will be stripped of protections that have existed for years. Our laws provide that victims of persecution and torture must have a meaningful opportunity to request safe haven. We need not prejudge the outcome of these cases. We need only adhere to our laws that ensure that each child is treated in a fair manner, that their case be individually considered, and if they deserve protection under the law, so be it; if not, they go home. This is not new. Refugees have received protection in America for decades. In 1980, the asylum system that we have today was established. Most of the special protections for unaccompanied children were created in 1997. Many were codified in 2002. Critics of the antislavery law of 2008 claim it has caused the influx of kids to America, but the protections began in 1997, 17 years ago. No, kids are fleeing because of the extreme violence in three countries. Children from other countries in the region are not fleeing here.…”