Lawmakers Push Back Against Biden Administration’s Proposed Asylum Transit Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez (both D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), alongside Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35), and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ07), led a bicameral group of nearly 80 lawmakers urging President Joe Biden to reverse his administration’s expansion of the failed border policy known as Title 42 and to abandon the proposed asylum “transit ban” rule.” The lawmakers also encouraged the President and his administration to work with Congress to ensure they develop safe, humane, and orderly border policies that enforce our immigration laws and uphold the right to asylum under domestic and international law.

“The administration’s announced border enforcement actions circumvent [domestic and international] law by not only expanding Title 42 beyond what is required by any court but by further implementing policies to deter and penalize people exercising their legal right to seek asylum at the border,” wrote the bicameral group of lawmakers to President Biden. “…We are therefore distressed by the deeply inconsistent choice to expand restrictions on asylum seekers after your administration determined it was no longer necessary for public health. Title 42 circumvents domestic law and international law. Human rights groups have extensively documented more than 10,000 violent attacks – including kidnappings, serious assaults, and deaths – against individuals who were expelled to or blocked in Mexico due to Title 42 since the beginning of your administration, with a disproportionate impact on Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, and Indigenous migrants.”

Sens. Booker and Menendez and Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Casar hosted a press conference outside the Senate steps to detail their request to President Biden.

“We are further concerned by the administration’s announcement that it will be issuing a proposed rulemaking in the coming days that would require asylum seekers to first apply for asylum in a transit country instead of allowing them to seek their legal right to asylum at our southern border. This, in effect, is a transit ban. The courts rightly rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to categorically end asylum when he similarly required asylum seekers to seek asylum in transit countries,” added the lawmakers. “Specifically, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Trump-Era Third Country Transit ban violated well-settled U.S. asylum laws that prohibit turning people away unless they have ‘firmly resettled’ in a transit country, especially not if conditions in the transit country are not safe… At the time of this ruling, countries across the Western Hemisphere were unable to meet such requirements. There does not appear to be evidence to show that country conditions in transit countries have improved since the relevant appellate decision was rendered as to justify a new Third Country Transit bar. As the administration well knows, current conditions in Mexico – the primary transit country – cannot ensure safety for the families seeking refuge in the United States.”

“It is unconscionable that asylum seekers have no option but to sleep in the streets of El Paso, in overcrowded shelters in Juarez, or in tents in Reynosa, but new asylum restrictions against migrants will not solve this problem. We believe that your administration can and must continue to expand legal pathways for migrants and refugees into the United States – without further dismantling the right to seek asylum at our border. This right is a pillar of the post-war international order to which the United States has committed itself. We are ready to work with you to ensure that we can have a safe, humane, and orderly border that upholds the right to asylum,” concluded the lawmakers.

Joining Sens. Booker, Menendez, Luján, and Padilla in signing the letter in the Senate are Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Joining Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Casar, and Grijalva in signing the letter in the House are Reps. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.-13), Nanette Barragán (DCA-44), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.-16), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.At-Large), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Ayanna Pressley (DMA-07), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Lou Correa (D-CA-46), Cori Bush (D-MO-01), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.-06), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), Barbara Lee (D-CA12), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Becca

Balint (D-VT-At-Large), Grace Napolitano (DCA-31), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.-06), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Earl Blumenauer (DOR-03), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.-03), Norma Torres (D-CA35), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Rob Menendez (D-N.J.-08), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Donald

Payne Jr. (D-N.J.-10), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Adam Schiff (D-CA-30), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15), Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03), Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), and Summer Lee (D-PA-12).

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“Dave will always give you the right answer, but not necessarily the short answer,” he said. This was a joke based on Roberts’ tendency to explain a situation thoroughly based on his extensive knowledge.

Hill credited Roberts with putting together the package that brought the veterans administration clinic to town. The VA took years to find a new location, knowing that the demand was greater than the current Brick facility could manage.

“I appreciate the credit but a lot of folks are responsible for it being built,” Roberts said. He thanked his staff and others who helped him along the way, particularly engineer Robert Chankalian.

Roberts remembered July 30, 2021 when the VA officially signed that it would be in Toms River. He said “Well, now the hard work really begins.”

Although in retirement, the hard work can really end.

He started his career in 1981 and said he loved working for Toms River. He recalled looking around at a department head meeting at the dedication, talent, and professionality of those leaders.

“Six years went by in six days,” Roberts said. He thanked former Mayor Thomas Kelaher for hiring him and Hill for keeping him on.

He also said he was fortunate to work with several organizations that cared strongly about their areas of town, such as the Ortley Beach Voters and Taxpayers Association as well as Downtown Toms River.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Paul Jeffrey from Ortley Beach said he appreciates the work he did with zoning and an upcoming streetscape project.

“We all want to say ‘thank you’ to him,” he said.

His replacement will be the assistant township planner, Robert Hudak, the former mayor of Manchester.

HCB First Aid Auxiliary Seeking Volunteers

TOMS RIVER – HCB First Aid Auxiliary is in need of volunteers: They need volunteers to work with us (men and women). Open to the public not just HCB.

The job of the HCB First Aid Auxiliary is to work to raise money for the HCB First Aid Squad. The squad members are volunteers that spend many hours a week going on calls to help people in need of medical help. “Our job as an auxiliary is to raise money so they can accomplish this.”

They usually meet once a month on a Monday at 3 p.m. at the First Aid Squad on Port Royal Drive. Their meetings only last about an hour. They organize fundraisers to raise money for the squad such as Psychic Fairs, Gift Auctions etc. If you want to keep busy, give us a try. They are a friendly group. All are welcome. If interested please call Linda Maddalena at 732505-6795.

MANCHESTER TIMES • BERKELEY TIMES • BRICK TIMES

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Local Pets Available For

TOMS RIVER – Pets like this one is available at the Toms River Animal Shelter. King is a sweet dog, but he can be a little rough when it comes to playing. He does well with other dogs, but we believe a home

─Photo courtesy Toms River Animal Shelter with older children or no children would be best for him. atmosphere will invite you to stay.

For more information, call 732-341-1000 or visit tomsrivertownship.com/155/Animal-Control-Services.

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Local EMS Donates AED To Little League

TOMS RIVER – The Silverton EMS donated an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) to Toms River Little League and gave the board members a demonstration on how to use it. Time from sudden cardiac arrest to first defibrillation is one of the most important factors of survival and this additional AED will allow us to have an AED near the fields furthest from our current AED.

They hope this lifesaving tool never has to be used but are extremely grateful to Silverton EMS for their generous donation and for their dedication and service to our community.

TOMS RIVER – Fundraiser for the Emmanuel Children’s Cancer Foundation sponsored by the Woman’s Club of Lacey, Inc. on March 22 at 11 a.m. at The Mathis House Victorian Tea Room, 600 Main Street, Toms River.

Cost is $55 per person. Checks made payable to: Woman’s Club of Lacey. Sir Mathis Tea Includes: pot of tea, soup and salad, scones with clotted cream, assorted tea sandwiches, petite desserts.

For tickets call: Diana Monia at 732814-2212. RSVP by February 21.

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