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WASHINGTON 鈥� Today, Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, issued the following statement in response to that the White House is proposing to expand the deeply flawed fast-track deportation system called 鈥渆xpedited removal鈥� nationwide, in addition to other harmful changes that would dismantle the U.S. asylum system, as part of the foreign aid funding negotiations:

鈥淭his proposal mimics Stephen Miller and Donald Trump鈥檚 plans for a second Trump term. Reducing immigrants鈥� due process rights puts a target on the backs of our neighbors, co-workers, and loved ones, and fast-tracks their deportations with little or no chance of appeal. President Biden was right to rescind Trump鈥檚 earlier attempt to expand expedited removal nationwide, and backsliding now would cause unimaginable harm to families across our nation.

鈥溾�楨xpedited removal鈥� are lawyerly words for a profoundly unfair and truncated process 鈥� with no hearing in front of a judge, no access to a lawyer, and virtually zero recourse for people mistakenly ordered deported. All persons are entitled to due process 鈥� including immigrants. Giving the government the power to deport millions of people without fair procedures would wreak havoc on our communities and certainly lead to unfair and unconstitutional outcomes.

鈥淭he White House should not be entertaining measures that would tear American families apart and eviscerate our country鈥檚 moral standing as a beacon of hope and freedom. Senate Republicans shouldn鈥檛 use the appropriations process to further their extremist agenda, and Senate Democrats shouldn鈥檛 capitulate to that pressure. Ultimately, Senate Democrats have to stand for something and they need to uphold our values.

鈥淚nstead of making changes to our immigration laws through an unrelated short-term funding deal, Congress needs to fully debate and pass meaningful immigration reform. It should include common sense and humane solutions that improve border management and allow a legal pathway for millions of people to achieve citizenship. Congress should also focus on providing funding and support to communities receiving migrants, improving screening processes and staffing at ports of entry, and expediting work authorization for people seeking asylum.鈥�