Eagle Pass’ miles of barbed wire, fences, police, national guardsmen – and now arrests for trespassing – haven’t stopped people from coming here in search of asylum in America.
Economic, social and political instability in Ecuador and Haiti has contributed to an increase in migrant encounters at borders. Vanda Felbab-Brown from Brookings provides more detail.
The US-Mexico border
Since September 27, US immigration officials are on track to process over 300,000 migrants in one month – an all-time monthly high that may include record numbers of families traveling with children according to internal government data obtained by CBS News.
Last fiscal year, most encounters occurred with individuals from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador; however there was also an upsurge in people from Romania and Turkey due to economic and social instability in these regions.
The Biden administration’s “transit ban” will result in anyone seeking asylum at the border without first applying in Mexico being deported back. Although this will likely help slow the flow of people, it won’t solve a larger issue: many of these individuals come not for safety, but opportunity – they want jobs rather than living in detention centers.
The migrant crisis
Even as daily apprehensions decrease, the total number of migrants apprehended along the US-Mexico border remains high. This reflects global trends; with forced displacement levels at their highest in decades pushing migrants across dangerous terrain in search of safety and opportunity.
The migrant crisis has affected local communities nationwide, leaving thousands in uncertainty and creating political vulnerabilities for President Biden in his bid to be reelected. Lawmakers are considering stringent restrictions on asylum while Mexico has revised policies which encouraged migrants’ flows.
At Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center on Thursday evening, a Metra train arrived carrying hundreds of migrants. Some were wearing short sleeves and flip flops in spite of the bitter cold, while children and babies huddled together under sheets for warmth. Border Patrol agents provided transportation while buses brought them directly to one of Chicago’s emergency shelters where many are expected to arrive daily – each shelter housing hundreds.
Asylum seekers
Asylum seekers often represent some of society’s most vulnerable members, including children, single mothers and victims of domestic violence or torture. They must cross dangerous frontiers in order to escape worsening violence and economic insecurity; unfortunately, however, the current administration has taken several discriminatory steps that have restricted their access to asylum, such as deferring applications and invoking Title 42 (an obscure public health law) against migrants claiming pandemic protection as grounds.
Even with these challenges, asylum seekers remain drawn to the United States as they know that here they can build new lives and feel secure for themselves and their families. Additionally, asylum seekers contribute significantly to our communities and economy – one study has estimated that an asylum seeker adds approximately $19 in value annually! Mayors from major Democratic-controlled cities such as Chicago and Denver have called on President Trump’s White House to stop its discriminatory border policies and create a fair asylum system that welcomes all people seeking refugee status in our nation.
Security
As Congress fails to address our broken immigration system, the Biden Administration is marshaling available authorities and resources from across the Federal Government in order to maintain secure yet humane management of our borders. This includes efforts such as:
Digital ads should be increased to counter smugglers’ false claims that the border is open, expanding legal pathways for orderly migration, and increasing penalties against those who attempt illegal entry.
Border Patrol encountered most migrants from Mexico and Northern Triangle countries until fiscal year 2023; but in that year, most were from China instead. People from China often come seeking asylum due to persecution or poverty at home. With increased security risks associated with this group of migrants coming in through ports of entry, Border Patrol responded by increasing asylum officers dramatically while drastically speeding up processing times from months down to days.