The U.S. needs to ensure everyone has an equitable chance to protect themselves, and if people don't have that opportunity, they need to be able to rely on others to be compassionate, he says.

In a statement released just minutes after President Biden took office, China's foreign ministry said it was sanctioning those "who have seriously violated China's sovereignty."

Critics say ending temporary protected status for people from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan will devastate families and communities, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.