Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 16 July 2019
END ASYLUM rently overwhelmed.
Continued from Front Trump administration offi-
According to the plan pub- cials say the changes are
lished in the Federal Reg- meant to close the gap
ister , migrants who pass between the initial asylum
through another country screening that most people
— in this case, Mexico — pass and the final decision
on their way to the U.S. will on asylum that most peo-
be ineligible for asylum. The ple do not win.
rule also applies to children Attorney General William
who have crossed the bor- Barr said that the United
der alone. States is "a generous coun-
The vast majority of people try but is being completely
affected by the rule are overwhelmed" by the bur-
from Central America. But dens associated with ap-
sometimes migrants from prehending and process-
Africa , Cuba or Haiti and ing hundreds of thousands
other countries try to come of migrants at the southern
through the U.S.-Mexico border.
border, as well. He also said the rule is Attorney General William Barr, left, and President Donald Trump turn to leave after speaking about
There are some exceptions, aimed at "economic mi- the 2020 census in the Rose Garden of the White House, Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Washington.
including for victims of hu- grants" and "those who Associated Press
man trafficking and asy- seek to exploit our asylum
lum-seekers who were de- system to obtain entry to in fact the rule would deny with the U.S. courts.
nied protection in another the United States." asylum to refugees who The new rule also will apply Tens of thousands of Cen-
country. If the country the But immigrant rights groups, do not apply for asylum in to the initial asylum screen- tral American migrant
migrant passed through did religious leaders and hu- countries where they are in ing, known as a "credible families cross the border
not sign one of the major manitarian groups have peril," said Eleanor Acer of fear" interview, at which each month, many claim-
international treaties gov- said the Republican admin- Human Rights First. migrants must prove they ing asylum. Border facilities
erning how refugees are istration's policies amount ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt, have credible fears of re- have been dangerously
managed (though most to a cruel effort to keep im- who has litigated some of turning to their home coun- cramped and crowded
Western countries signed migrants out of the country. the major challenges to the try. It applies to migrants well beyond capacity. The
them) a migrant could still Guatemala, Honduras and Trump administration's im- who are arriving to the U.S., Department of Homeland
apply for U.S. asylum. El Salvador are poor coun- migration policies, said the not those who are already Security's watchdog found
Mexican Foreign Relations tries, often wracked by vio- rule was unlawful and the in the country. fetid, filthy conditions for
Secretary Marcelo Ebrard lence. group planned to sue. Acting Homeland Security many children. And law-
said Monday that his coun- "This is yet another move "The rule, if upheld, would Secretary Kevin McAleen- makers who traveled there
try "does not agree with to turn refugees with well- effectively eliminate asy- an said additional funding recently decried condi-
any measure that limits ac- founded fears of persecu- lum for those at the south- given by Congress for aid tions . But many migrants
cess to asylum." Mexico's tion back to places where ern border," he said. "But it at the U.S.-Mexico border say they are simply too
asylum system is also cur- their lives are in danger — is patently unlawful." isn't enough. scared to stay in their own
U.S. law allows refugees to "Until Congress can act, this countries. Oscar Ponce, a
request asylum when they interim rule will help reduce 48-year-old bus driver from
arrive at the U.S. regardless a major 'pull' factor driving Honduras who was waiting
of how they arrive or cross. irregular migration to the in a Mexican border town
The crucial exception is United States." to cross into the U.S., said
for those who have come The treaties that countries he wanted to apply for asy-
through a country consid- must have signed accord- lum legally. He left his home
ered to be "safe," but the ing to the new rule are the after gangs threatened to
Immigration and National- 1951 Convention relating kill him if he didn't pay their
ity Act, which governs asy- to the Status of Refugees, "tax."
lum law, is vague on how a the 1967 Protocol or the "Plan B is through the river,"
country is determined safe. Convention against Torture Ponce told The Associated
It says pursuant to a bilat- and Other Cruel, Inhuman Press in Ciudad Juarez.
eral or multilateral agree- or Degrading Treatment or Immigration courts are
ment." Punishment. But, for exam- backlogged by more than
Right now, the U.S. has such ple, while Australia, France 800,000 cases, meaning
an agreement, known as and Brazil have signed many people won't have
a "safe third country," only those treaties, so have Af- their asylum claims heard
with Canada. ghanistan and Libya, plac- for years despite more
Mexico and Central Ameri- es the U.S. does not con- judges being hired.
can countries have been sider safe. People are generally eli-
considering a regional Along with the administra- gible for asylum in the U.S.
compact on the issue, but tion's recent effort to send if they fear return to their
nothing has been decided. asylum seekers back over home country because
Guatemalan officials were the border , Trump has tried they would be persecuted
expected in Washington to deny asylum to anyone based on race, religion, na-
on Monday, but apparent- crossing the border illegally tionality or membership in a
ly a meeting between Pres- and restrict who can claim particular social group.
ident Donald Trump and asylum, and the attorney During the budget year
Guatemalan President Jim- general recently tried to for 2009, there were 35,811
my Morales was canceled keep thousands of asylum asylum claims, and 8,384
amid a court challenge in seekers detained while were granted. During 2018
Guatemala over whether their cases play out. budget year, there were
the country could agree to Nearly all of those efforts 162,060 claims filed, and
a safe-country agreement have been blocked by 13,168 were granted.q