News & Views

The truth about Title 42

Read “Title 42: Myths and Facts” here.

Letter to the Editor: The truth about Title 42

Title 42 is a provision that, temporarily, because of a public health crisis, allows the government to close our borders. Prior to 2020, the provision was rarely invoked. When the pandemic hit, President Donald Trump used it to expel migrants from the border, regardless of whether they were legally seeking asylum. The number of people seeking to enter our country has risen over the last decade as climate change and consequent economic and political instability have increased displacement worldwide. The myth that if Title 42 is lifted, our borders will be overrun with people requiring massive amounts of federal and state resources, is just that, a myth. If Congress issued immediate work authorization to those eligible to enter the country, rather than forcing people to wait months and years for this, few federal and state resources would be required, as people could seek and obtain employment immediately upon entry. We all know the economy needs people.

There are staffing crises in every single industry. Birth rates have been declining for more than two decades, mortality rates are increasing, baby boomers are retiring in droves, and our increasingly anti-immigrant rhetoric has pushed immigrants elsewhere. Our democracy is also in crisis. The leading cause of death for children is gun violence, and hatred — of Jews, of immigrants, of LGBTQ persons, of people of color — is on the rise. Immigrants, who are usually fleeing persecution, be it political or based on their religion, their sexual preference, their race, or their ethnicity, are desperate to build lives based on the freedoms that many of us take for granted. Immigrants are our country’s strongest hope. Without them we come perilously close to losing everything for which we think this country stands.

Cathryn Miller-Wilson, Esq., executive director HIAS Pennsylvania

Read Cathryn Miller-Wilson’s letter to the editor here.

TONIGHT (4/20) - Join us ONLINE at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!

Join us ONLINE at 6:45PM TONIGHT, Thursday, April 20th, for HIAS PA's 2023 Golden Door Awards: United for Immigrants!

Happy Passover from HIAS Pennsylvania!HIAS PA is closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover

HIAS Pennsylvania will be closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover from 1PM on Wednesday, April 5th through Friday, April 7th, and on Wednesday, April 12th and Thursday, April 13th.

Join us at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!United for Immigrants

The Golden Door Awards is HIAS Pennsylvania's annual fundraiser. Your generous support helps us serve low-income immigrants from all over the world as they build new lives in our community.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

TONIGHT: Join us at the table!Join us for Thankful Together!

Thankful Together, formerly known as Refugee Thanksgiving, is happening TONIGHT at 6PM!

Register here to join us tonight: https://hiaspa1.wpengine.com/event/thankful-together-2021/

Celebrate our volunteers who make this all possible!Click here at 11:45AM to join our Annual Meeting!

Click here to join our virtual Annual Meeting!

The Annual Meeting starts at noon, but join us at 11:45AM for an informal chat before the event!

POSTPONED! Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan

Today's Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan Facebook Live event has been postponed due to a worldwide Facebook outage. We will update you as soon as possible about rescheduling the event.