~ Senators encourage DHS to use its legal authority to create process for reviewing emergency requests for those wrongfully removed from the U.S. ~
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined four of her colleagues in introducing a bicameral resolution aimed at encouraging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a pathway for individuals who have been unjustly deported from the United States to return and reunite with their families. The Chance to Come Home Resolution, led by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), calls on DHS to use its legal authority to establish a centralized and independent process for reviewing emergency requests from individuals who were wrongfully removed from the country.
“By streamlining the petitions process for those who were wrongfully deported, the reforms urged by the Chance to Come Home Resolution would help rectify the injustice of wrongful deportation and more quickly reunite impacted families,” said Senator Hirono. “As the only immigrant currently serving in the U.S. Senate, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution to urge DHS to mitigate the harm caused by our broken immigration system.”
Over the past decade, more than 2 million people have been deported, many of whom have resided in the United States for years, raising families, building businesses, contributing to their communities, and growing local economies. Unfortunately, most people unjustly removed lack legal representation and have no path to meaningfully present their case to reunite with their loved ones in the United States. Wrongful deportation disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities, sending individuals to dangerous conditions without any familial connection and tearing their American families and communities apart.
The resolution proposes the creation of a centralized, independent review unit within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to streamline the process for individuals seeking to return to the U.S. following wrongful deportations. This unit would provide consistency in adjudication and reduce the burden on government attorneys and immigration courts.
In addition to Senators Hirono and Booker, the resolution is also cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
The Chance to Come Home Resolution was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), David Trone (D-MD), and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY).
The full text of the resolution is available here.
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