US/Mexico migrant crisis: the
people and the politics
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| Migrants heading to the US try to push through a gate at the Guatemala/Mexico border.- AFP |
Bound for the US, a group of about 4,000 people from
Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are making their way toward Mexico. A US
immigration lawyer helps us understand their legal situation and the
obligations other countries have toward them.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
A group made up of 4,000 people from Honduras, Guatemala and
El Salvador are journeying together toward Mexico, hoping to be allowed entry
into to the US. President Trump has threatened to close the US’s borders, and
Mexican authorities have asked the United Nations High Commission on Refugees
(UNHCR) to assist. Christine Reis, Esq, Director of the Human Rights Institute
at the University of St Thomas in Miami, FL helps us understand what legal help
the migrants have a right to expect from Mexico and the US and how the UNHCR
can help.
Migrants’ rights
“Shutting the border is not an option”, Christine said.
“What is required by the US is to assess any individual who is coming to the
border requesting asylum or protection.” In order to request asylum, the
foreign national arriving at the border of another country must prove that
their own country is not protecting them. The receiving country “does have an
obligation to at least determine whether the individuals that are coming to the
border have a credible fear of being refugees”, Christine emphasized.
Closing borders
When asked about Trump’s threat to close the US border to
the caravan of migrants, Christine affirmed that “every country does have the
right to control their border”. However, she qualified that this control needs
to “be humane, fair, and take into consideration the safety and the lives of
the individuals who are asking for our protection”.
Cutting off aid
Not only is cutting aid to the countries of origin not a
solution, it will exacerbate the problem, Christine said.
“A lot of those countries are relying on the aid we
provide in an attempt to improve their situation. So, taking aid or cutting aid
completely, will actually have a reverse effect and we will end up with more
people trying to come in.”
Role of the UNHCR
Christine explained that Mexico has asked the UNHCR to
assist at its border with Guatemala. In these cases, the UNHCR sets up shelters
and helps determine credible fear on an individual basis. Those “found to have
credible fear according to what the Mexican government acknowledges, would then
be allowed to enter Mexico, and possibly be given some sort of status there”.
The UNHCR can also declare who is a refugee and place them in countries with
whom they have agreements. In this case, the US would be asked to receive some,
but not all, of the refugees.
Who are among the group?
The original group originated from San Pedro Sula in Honduras
and consisted of about 160 people. Christine told us that this city is “one of
the most dangerous, most deadly cities in the world”. Along the way other
Hondurans, and people from Guatemala and possibly El Salvador joined the
original group.
Some of the information regarding the makeup of the group is
untrue, Christine went on to say. The fact that this is an election period in
the US is also not helping, Christine said
"The information regarding this caravan is being
used in order to incite a little bit of fear. There is nothing that makes
us believe that the caravan is full of individuals who are coming in order to
commit crime, or are sick, or anything of that nature…. They do know that there
are lots of children, and that some of those children may be
unaccompanied."
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