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Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement on Title 42 and the Biden Administration’s proposed changes to asylum proceedings: “The use of Title 42, introduced by the Trump Administration, effectively eliminated access to legal asylum in our country. I have been calling for an end to Title 42 since it began and I am hopeful that the Biden Administration will… Read more »

This critical legislation establishes a humane and equitable asylum process designed for America’s immigration realities in the 21st century. Read more »

By Lauren Villagran Even as the number of people seeking asylum at the southern border has grown, Congress has done little to change how the U.S. treats asylum seekers. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso) on Tuesday introduced a bill, the "Re-imagining Asylum Processing Act," that proposes to overhaul how asylum claims are made and treated at the Southwest border. The bill would… Read more »

By Anthony Jackson Texas lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday toured the site on Fort Bliss where Afghan refugees are being housed. U.S. Reps. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso; Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; and Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, toured the Fort Bliss Doña Ana County Range Complex, dubbed Doña Ana Village, where nearly 10,000 Afghan refugees… Read more »

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) sent a letter with a bicameral group of lawmakers to President Biden urging him to take all necessary legal steps to terminate the Remain in Mexico policy – or the perversely named Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) – that placed tens of thousands of asylum seekers and migrants in danger. Read more »

By Anthony Jackson and Lauren Villagran About 1,200 Afghan refugees landed at Fort Bliss on Wednesday, many with hopes for a new life in the United States and fears for those left behind in a country in turmoil, according to U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. The congresswoman said she toured the refugee shelter on Wednesday at Fort Bliss, which will take in up… Read more »

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar issued the following statement after hosting Vice President Kamala Harris to El Paso: “El Paso – America’s new Ellis Island – was ground-zero for the Trump administration’s cruelty at the border, has had to endure the deadly consequences of anti-immigrant rhetoric, and in the face of every challenge, has responded with compassion and goodwill. It is fitting… Read more »

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), joined by Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), reintroduced H.R. 3557, the Homeland Security Improvement Act to address our nation’s immigration challenges at the southwest border in a responsible and humane manner by ensuring accountability, transparency, and oversight.  The Homeland Security… Read more »

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined Representatives Jason Crow (CO-6) and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) to reintroduce the End Transfer of Detained Immigrants Act, legislation which would immediately prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from transferring immigrant detainees between ICE facilities or to federal, state, and local prisons during the Coronavirus Disease… Read more »

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Congressman David Valadao (CA-21) introduced the American Families United Act. This bipartisan legislation is designed to preserve and promote family unity by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to help millions of U.S. citizens reunite with their loved ones. The American Families United Act was introduced… Read more »