Secretary Mayorkas released the following statement in support of today’s Presidential Executive Orders to reform our immigration processes:
“Today President Biden signed a series of Executive Orders to help restore trust in our immigration system, re-open and reform our asylum process, secure the southwest border by addressing the root causes of migration, and reunite families separated under the Trump Administration. In keeping with our commitment to protect the American people, our homeland, and our values, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security welcomes the President’s action to ensure that our immigration system represents the empathy of the American people.
“These Executive Orders will allow DHS to take immediate action to address the most pressing challenges we face. Chief among these challenges is reunifying families who were separated during the last Administration. The atrocity of separating children from their parents is not easily remedied, but I pledge to do everything in my power to bring families back together and connect them with the resources they need to heal.
“As we undertake this work, it’s critical that Congress build on these executive actions by passing the legislation proposed by President Biden to modernize our immigration system, responsibly manage our border, and create an earned path to citizenship."