One month ago, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order denying the right to seek asylum to most migrants apprehended by the Border Patrol in the US. Assessing the long term consequences of the new order remains difficult, but in that time, news outlets have reported these developments:
- One week ago, the Department of Homeland Security reported that Border Patrol arrested 49% fewer people for crossing the border illegally since the order went into effect.
- In late June, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in Tucson, Arizona, that the new policy was working. Indeed, the seven-day daily arrest average in the Tucson sector was down from about 1200 on 2 June to about 600 on 25 June.
- But the question remains, is this executive order an effective way to “deter” those who actually might qualify for asylum? According to the Washington Office on Latin America, every time the US implements a more restrictive policy, apprehensions of migrants have dropped, only to rise again as people learn the implications of that policy and how it actually works.
- In addition, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has sued the Biden administration for multiple infractions of US asylum law that place asylum seekers in ever increasing danger.
Since the executive order was issued, migrants waiting in the border city of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, have been confused, frustrated, and disheartened in their attempt to request asylum in the US. These people are waiting to be accepted at the US Port of Entry, which is a separate process to Biden’s order that applies only to those people who have irregularly crossed the border into the US. Prior to the issuance of the order, one or two families were being allowed to make their asylum claim each week. However, the last time the US Port in Agua Prieta accepted a family that was asking for asylum was on 26 May – a week before the new restrictions went into effect. For two weeks now, these families have been leaving Agua Prieta. Family by family, they have come into the Migrant Resource Center (CRM) to say goodbye. It has been a very sad time for the migrants and for the CRM volunteers. The families have lost hope of finding relief. There are only a few families left.
- Pray that the US government will again follow national and international asylum laws.
- Pray that officials at the Port of Entry in Douglas, Arizona/Agua Prieta, Sonora, will become transparent in their intentions to either close the port to all asylum seekers or to again admit families.
- Pray that all the migrants who have been affected by this executive order will find a way to safety.