SEIU’s Sáenz: Migrants’ tragic deaths in San Antonio are a wakeup call for humane asylum policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reacting to the tragic death of more than 50 people migrating to the U.S., in a tractor-trailer, SEIU International Executive Vice President Rocio Sáenz issued the following statement:

“SEIU’s 2 million members mourn the tragic loss of human life in San Antonio and send our deepest condolences to the souls and families affected. America is better than this. Our nation’s immigration policies must reflect our core belief that every human deserves to be treated with dignity and respect – regardless of where they come from and the circumstances that brought them here.

This horrific incident is a wake-up call. As a nation that symbolizes freedom and human rights to the oppressed around the world, we need to ensure that people who make the treacherous journey from their homelands to the U.S. have a chance to plead their cases in a fair and timely process that reflects our core values.

We call on Congress and this administration to prioritize human life over politics and restore our asylum system and dismantle the racist policies like Title 42 and the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)/”Remain in Mexico” program that are threatening the lives of people fleeing danger and seeking safety at our borders. This is urgent.”