opinion

U.S. Action on Refugees Deliberately Puts People Into Harm's Way

This broken system is supposedly serving vulnerable people, not detaining them. Lives are at stake. Let's fix this now with progressive, realistic solutions.

Published July 29, 2024 at 6:02am by

Title: The US is Failing Asylum Seekers, Pushing Them Back Into Danger

Everyone deserves better than this cruel treatment at the border.

Families fleeing violence and seeking safety in the US are being met with armed officers, turning them away. The "Remain in Mexico" policy, introduced by Trump, has continued under Biden, despite his promises to end it. Asylum seekers are left waiting in dangerous, overcrowded shelters, with limited access to food and healthcare.

The appointment system, accessible only via a smartphone app, is a discriminatory barrier. It is available only in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, excluding those who are illiterate or speak indigenous languages. With a limited number of daily appointments, families are left waiting for months, with no alternative options.

"Our country keeps doubling down on these harsh and cruel approaches. The Biden administration has poured more money into federal immigration prisons than US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency responsible for processing applications."

The current system is a humanitarian disaster, as Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center knows all too well. They are suing Biden's administration over the latest anti-asylum rule, which is not only illegal but also deadly, adding to the migrant death toll.

It's time for our leaders to stop playing politics and offer humane alternatives. We must address the root causes of migration: climate change, political unrest, and economic disparity. Criminalizing vulnerable people is not a solution; it is an act of cruelty.

Everyone deserves better.

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