We can’t get Congress to have a conversation about comprehensive immigration reforms during “normal” times. But now, with a budget crisis and government shutdown looming, Senate Republicans have released a proposal for Biden: Agree to major changes in immigration, especially asylum, or face a Senatorial deep-six of the administration’s $106 billion budget package, including aid for Ukraine and Israel.

WVU Immigration Law Clinic joined with 92 organizations in urging the Biden administration to reject extreme changes to the immigration laws. Immigration law badly needs reform and should be the subject of a careful and detailed discussion, not a political football with asylum seekers’ lives on the line.

The proposed reforms would violate U.S. commitments under international law going back to the post-World War II refugee crisis. They pull the rug out from under asylum just when vulnerable people need it the most.

Anti-immigration forces present a false dilemma: Either invite chaos or slam the border shut. We have a thousand options besides that Hobson’s choice. We are capable of better.

World War II and the postwar refugee crisis should be an ominous reminder: We have failed at this before. We must never fail again.