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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 9 January 2019

Asylum seekers find it’s catch and can’t release fast enough

By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associ- seeking families are being
ated Press released in the U.S. before
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Presi- even they are ready. ICE
dent Donald Trump says dropped off hundreds of
he has ended “catch-and- people daily at a bus sta-
release” for asylum seekers, tion in El Paso, Texas, over
but in cities on the U.S. bor- the holidays. In Tucson, Ari-
der with Mexico it is catch zona, charities have rented
and can’t release fast motel rooms when shelters
enough. are full.
Since late October, the U.S. “After decades of inac-
has been releasing asylum- tion by Congress, the gov-
seeking families so quickly ernment remains severely
they don’t even have time constrained in its ability to
to make travel arrange- detain and promptly re-
ments, which it blames on move families with no legal
lack of detention space. basis to remain in the U.S.,”
Families are often giv- said ICE spokeswoman
en court dates without Sarah Rodriguez. “As a re-
even having to pass initial sult, family units continue
screenings by asylum of- to cross the border at high
ficers. They end up in shel- volumes and are likely to
ters run by charities, or are In this Dec. 11, 2018, photo the parents of Yariza Flores, 11, show where the girl cut her torso as continue to do so, as they
she landed on barbed wire while crossing the border illegally, after arriving from an immigration
dropped off at bus stations detention center to a shelter in San Diego. face no consequence for
in border cities. Associated Press. their actions.”q
For one Salvadoran fam- lies until they can arrange
ily that dizzying series of transportation to relatives
events began when their across the U.S. The San Di-
7-year-old daughter, Yariza ego Rapid Response Net-
Flores, landed on barbed work , an advocacy coali-
wire after being hoisted tion that runs the shelter
over a border fence dur- that housed Yariza and her
ing their illegal crossing last family, has served more
month. She was rushed to a than 4,000 people since
San Diego hospital to stop opening in a church in late
profuse bleeding. October, moving five times
Just four days later, U.S. au- since then because it ran
thorities dropped her off at out of space.
a San Diego shelter with U.S. Immigration and Cus-
her parents and 3-year- toms Enforcement often
old brother. They had no coordinates with these
money, the clothes on their shelters. On the December
backs and an order given night that Yariza arrived,
to them during their stint in ICE brought 125 people
U.S. custody to appear in in buses that came every
immigration court in Hous- half-hour. One night during
ton, where they planned Christmas week, the facility
to live with Yariza’s grand- received 180 people, forc-
mother and two aunts. ing it to use a church for
They didn’t even have time the overflow.
to arrange for relatives to The situation belies Trump’s
buy bus tickets before they assertion, in a November
were released. tweet, that “Catch and Re-
“I feel happy because lease is an obsolete term. It
we’re finally here, we’re fi- is now Catch and Detain.”
nally going to see my fam- The Trump administration
ily,” the girl’s mother, Tania announced Dec. 20 that it
Escobar, said in the shelter would make asylum seek-
dining hall after a meal of ers who enter the U.S. on
shredded chicken, rice its southern border wait in
and beans. Her daughter Mexico while their claims
sat nearby, all smiles, wear- wind through clogged im-
ing a silver crown that a migration courts, which
Border Patrol agent gave can take years. But that
her and holding a stuffed “catch and return” policy
animal from a doctor who has yet to take effect while
treated the severe cuts on the two countries work on
her lower back. mechanics; a legal chal-
From California to Arizona lenge appears likely.
to Texas, volunteers are So, for now, many asylum-
scrambling to help fami-