WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, issued the following statement regarding ongoing Senate negotiations that aim to tie border policy to Ukraine funding in the supplemental funding bill:

“As Ranking Member of the Immigration Subcommittee, I am raising the alarm on Senate Republicans’ attempts to hold Ukraine funding hostage in exchange for cruel and ineffective immigration policy demands. It is imperative that my Senate colleagues and the White House understand: recent reports of the Senate Republicans’ newest ‘offer’ contains policies so extreme that they would represent the most exclusionary, restrictive immigration legislation since the racial quota laws of the 1920s.

“There is no question we need to enact humane, bipartisan reforms to the immigration system. We need to expand lawful pathways, modernize the system for people to be able to work and be with their families, and provide targeted strategic aid to countries to deal with political instability, corruption, climate change, and other factors that force people to flee their homes. However, as reported this Republican proposal would not reduce unauthorized border crossings. Rather, it would spur more chaos at the border today and decimate our immigration system for the future. It would also completely shut down our asylum system through a unilateral transit ban and raising the credible fear standard, create a new indefinite Title 42-type national expulsion authority, and enact a mass expansion of expedited removal.

“These are the same policies weaponized against immigrant communities under the Trump administration and are the foundation of President Trump’s vision of ‘sweeping raids, giant camps, and mass deportations’ for a second term. Destroying the asylum system will not fix the southern border. We did not spend years fighting this agenda under Trump only to give in to Senate Republicans’ extreme demands now.

“I call on my Senate colleagues to reject these policies and support funding that would give the administration the tools it needs to process asylum seekers, enforce U.S. immigration laws, and provide funding to cities welcoming new migrants. I am ready to work with any of my colleagues who are serious about fixing our broken immigration system and creating the legal pathways we need to ensure an orderly process at the border — but in a thoughtful way, not as a ransom demand for Ukraine aid.”