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u.s. news Diahuebs 24 Juni 2021

US gives more asylum-seekers waiting in Mexico another shot

(AP) — Asylum-seekers to appear in court and 6,686
whose claims were dis- whose cases were dismissed.
missed or denied under Many are believed to have left
a Trump administration the Mexican border region,
policy that forced them to thinking their cases were fin-
wait in Mexico for court ished, raising the possibility
hearings will be allowed to that they will make the dan-
return for another chance gerous trek to return. The of-
at humanitarian protec- ficial said the administration
tion, the U.S. Homeland is aware of those dangers and
Security Department said considering bringing people
Tuesday in a move that to the United States, like it is
could benefit tens of thou- doing to reunite families that
sands of hopefuls. remain separated years af-
ter Trump’s “zero tolerance”
Registration will begin policy on illegal border cross-
Wednesday for asylum-seek- ings.
ers who were subject to the
“Remain in Mexico” policy The move is another sig-
and either had their cases dis- nificant effort at redress for
missed or denied for failing Trump policies that Biden ministration has been silent, who didn’t appear in court from more enforcement-
to appear in court, The Asso- administration officials and leaving them in legal limbo. another opportunity. minded advocates who say
ciated Press has learned. their allies say were cruel and Biden’s policies have encour-
inhumane and defenders say Many asylum-seekers whose About 6,700 asylum-seekers aged more people to seek asy-
Under that criteria, it is un- were extremely effective at claims were denied for failure had cases dismissed, the vast lum.
clear how many people will discouraging asylum-seekers to appear in court say they majority in San Diego, of-
be eligible to be released into from coming to the U.S. were kidnapped in Mexico. ten after judges found the Eleanor Acer, Human Rights
the United States pending a Others were too sick or afraid government made a mistake First’s senior director of ref-
decision on their cases, ac- President Joe Biden halted to travel to a border crossing in applying the policy or the ugee protection, called it a
cording to a senior Homeland the Remain in Mexico poli- in a dangerous city, some- migrants failed to appear. “welcome step” that would
Security official who spoke cy his first day in office and times with appointments as provide access to asylum to
on condition of anonymity soon allowed an estimated early as 4:30 a.m. Advocacy In all, about 70,000 asylum- people who missed hearings
because the announcement 26,000 asylum-seekers with group Human Rights First seekers were returned to due to kidnappings and other
had not been made public. active cases to return to the tallied more than 1,500 pub- Mexico under the policy in- dangers.
United States while their licly reported attacks against troduced in San Diego in
But Michele Klein Solomon, cases play out, a process that people subject to the policy. January 2019 and expanded Chad Wolf, an acting Home-
the International Organiza- can take years in a court sys- across the border after then- land Security secretary who
tion for Migration’s director tem backlogged with more Difficulty finding attorneys President Donald Trump oversaw the policy, said giv-
for North America, Central than 1.3 million cases. More from Mexico meant few had threatened Mexico with ing asylum-seekers another
America and the Caribbe- than 12,300 people with ac- legal representation, con- higher tariffs if it didn’t do chance after they lost their
an, told the AP that she ex- tive cases have been admitted tributing to a measly 1.6% more to reverse a major spike cases was “absurd.”
pected at least 10,000 people. to the U.S. since February, grant rate among cases that in border crossings.
Her organization is working while others who have regis- were decided. U.S. authori- “This administration simply
closely with the Biden ad- tered but not yet entered the ties gave asylum-seekers a list The policy was highly ef- refuses to put the American
ministration to bring people country bring the count to of low- or no-cost attorneys, fective at deterring asylum people first when formulat-
to the border and ensure they about 17,000. but phones would ring un- claims but widely criticized ing their immigration policy.
test negative for COVID-19 answered and messages went for exposing asylum-seekers This is just more evidence,”
before being allowed into the That still leaves out tens of unreturned. to dangerous conditions in said Wolf, now a visiting fel-
country. thousands of asylum-seekers Mexican border cities and vi- low at The Heritage Founda-
whose claims were denied or The Biden administration olating their rights under do- tion.
The estimate seems low. Syr- dismissed under the policy, has not decided whether to mestic law and international
acuse University’s Transac- known officially as “Migrant admit people who showed up agreements, advocates say. U.S. Customs and Border
tional Records Access Clear- Protection Protocols.” Ad- for court and had their claims Protection recorded more
inghouse said the move could vocates have been pressing denied, the official said. The Those who were denied un- than 180,000 encounters on
benefit 34,528 migrants — for months for them to get logic behind the expanded der the policy can register the Mexican border in May,
27,842 who denied for failing another chance, but the ad- eligibility is to give people on a website operated by the the most since March 2000.
U.N. refugee agency in col- But the numbers were boost-
laboration with the Interna- ed by a pandemic-related ban
tional Organization of Mi- on seeking asylum that en-
gration. couraged repeat attempts to
cross because getting caught
It is unclear where eligible carried no legal consequenc-
asylum-seekers are but the es.
migration group will work
to bring them to the border, The Biden administration
Klein Solomon said. The says it is working to build a
Mexican government has “humane” asylum system but
moved many people from the has released few details.
border to other parts of the
country, arguing that it was The United States was by
safer to remove them from far the most popular desti-
areas more in the grip of or- nation for asylum-seekers
ganized crime. last year, with 250,800 new
claims, more than twice
The news was cheered by as many as Germany, with
pro-immigration groups that 102,600 claims, the U.N.
have denounced Trump’s refugee agency reported last
policies as cruel and inhu- week. Spain, France and Peru
mane while inviting criticism rounded out the top five.