Letter: Officers felt unsafe enacting Trump asylum crackdown
5 years ago

Letter: Officers felt unsafe enacting Trump asylum crackdown

Associated Press  

HOUSTON — U.S. border officers charged with turning away asylum seekers under Trump administration policy accused their leadership of misleading the public and disregarding concerns for their own safety, according to documents released to The Associated Press. A March 2019 letter sent to the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection demanded that he intervene to ensure the agency’s front-line employees at one Texas bridge “are not injured or killed” enforcing the policy limiting the number of asylum seekers allowed in the U.S. The documents were originally obtained by lawyers for the Los Angeles-based immigration advocacy group Al Otro Lado, which has sued the U.S. government over what it says is a practice of turning away asylum seekers that dates back to 2016, during the last months of President Barack Obama’s administration. Officer complaints about turning away asylum seekers go back to at least March 2017, when another union official, Wiliam Haralson, discussed a formal grievance with CBP and alleged that the agency “caused traumatic and emotional injury to children.” Homeland Security’s inspector general in September published a review prompted by another border officer who raised concerns about “metering,” this time at a border crossing station in Tecate, California.

Border Trump Asylum Texas Mexico Cbp Seekers  administration  trump  employees  cbp  enacting  border  unsafe  turning  asylum  letter  away  officials  metering  seekers  crackdown  felt  officers

History of this topic

Trump team considers 'illegal' workaround to speed up key campaign promise: report
1 month ago

Trump team considers 'illegal' workaround to speed up key campaign promise: report

Raw Story  

Donald Trump's incoming administration intends to deport migrants to countries they've never visited if their home countries refuse to accept them, according to a new report. Three sources familiar with the plans say administration officials are preparing a list of countries – including but not limited to Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Panama and Grenada – where they would send …

Trump warns he’ll expel migrants under key Biden immigration programs
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Trump warns he’ll expel migrants under key Biden immigration programs

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump, who has made anti-immigration rhetoric a key part of his reelection campaign, warned Wednesday that he would kick out hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have entered the country under two key Biden administration programs if he’s reelected. Speaking to Fox News, Trump railed against two immigration programs created by the Biden administration to …

Some Mexican shelters see crowding south of the border as Biden’s asylum ban takes hold
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Some Mexican shelters see crowding south of the border as Biden’s asylum ban takes hold

Associated Press  

MATAMOROS, Mexico — Some shelters south of the U.S. border are caring for many more migrants now that the Biden administration stopped considering most asylum requests, while others have yet to see much of a change. In Tijuana, directors of four large shelters said this week that they haven’t received a single migrant deported since the asylum ban took effect. …

Migrant deaths in Rio Grande intensify tensions between Texas, Biden administration over crossings
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Migrant deaths in Rio Grande intensify tensions between Texas, Biden administration over crossings

Associated Press  

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — After Texas fenced off a park along the U.S.-Mexico border and began turning away Border Patrol agents, Republican Gov. Later that night, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said three migrants, including two children, drowned near the park after Texas officials “physically barred” Border Patrol agents from entering. U.S. authorities described the drownings as underscoring the need …

The US sees a drop in illegal border crossings after Mexico increases enforcement
1 year ago

The US sees a drop in illegal border crossings after Mexico increases enforcement

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Instead, they flew her to …

Over 1,000 migrant families separated at border near San Diego since September, advocates say
1 year ago

Over 1,000 migrant families separated at border near San Diego since September, advocates say

LA Times  

Nearly 1,100 migrant families have been separated while being processed at the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego since September, immigrant advocacy groups said in a letter sent Thursday to the Department of Homeland Security that seeks an investigation into the matter. The separations stem from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s ongoing practice of releasing high volumes of migrants to street …

Controversy erupts over CBP One app, GOP Congressman calls it a 'Disney FastPass' for migrants
1 year, 5 months ago

Controversy erupts over CBP One app, GOP Congressman calls it a 'Disney FastPass' for migrants

Hindustan Times  

A GOP congressman slammed the Biden administration’s CBP One App as a “Disney FastPass” for migrants into the US at a tense hearing on the US-Mexico border Wednesday. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida accused Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of letting migrants stay in the US indefinitely through the app, which he said was like a theme park …

Illegal border crossings are down. One big reason why is now part of a court fight
1 year, 5 months ago

Illegal border crossings are down. One big reason why is now part of a court fight

NPR  

Illegal border crossings are down. One big reason why is now part of a court fight Enlarge this image toggle caption Joel Rose/NPR Joel Rose/NPR The number of migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is lower than it's been since the first weeks of 2021 — and the Biden administration says its sharp limits on asylum at the border are …

Adult migrants are held in border facilities too long amid Biden administration policy changes, sources say
1 year, 5 months ago

Adult migrants are held in border facilities too long amid Biden administration policy changes, sources say

CNN  

CNN — President Joe Biden’s new asylum policy has contributed to migrants remaining in border facilities for more than 10 days and some for up to 30 days, multiple sources told CNN, as the administration toughens its posture on the US-Mexico border. Last week, of the more than 10,000 people in CBP custody, more than 1,000 of them had been …

‘…more foreign aliens’: Texas sues Biden administration over new asylum rule
1 year, 7 months ago

‘…more foreign aliens’: Texas sues Biden administration over new asylum rule

Hindustan Times  

The state of Texas is suing the Biden administration in an attempt to have a newly-introduced asylum rule thrown out, saying a phone app used by migrants to set up appointments at the border to seek entry into the United States is encouraging illegal immigration. In the lawsuit, Texas argues that the asylum rule encourages the use of a cellphone …

Over 1,000 migrants, angered by asylum policies, rush to US-Mexico border
1 year, 9 months ago

Over 1,000 migrants, angered by asylum policies, rush to US-Mexico border

Firstpost  

Ciudad Juarez : More than a thousand migrants in northern Mexico surrendered to U.S. border authorities, frustrated by recent asylum policies, and shaken by a fire at a nearby migrant detention center that killed dozens this week. A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said the agency was processing over a thousand migrants who turned themselves in on Wednesday in El …

‘Appalled’: Dozens of Democrats slam Biden’s border policies
1 year, 11 months ago

‘Appalled’: Dozens of Democrats slam Biden’s border policies

Al Jazeera  

New US restrictions on asylum ‘will not solve’ challenge at country’s border with Mexico, Democratic legislators say. “We believe that your administration can and must continue to expand legal pathways for migrants and refugees into the United States — without further dismantling the right to seek asylum at our border.” Earlier this month, Biden announced that as many as 30,000 …

Photos: Uncertainty among asylum seekers at border over US rules
2 years ago

Photos: Uncertainty among asylum seekers at border over US rules

Al Jazeera  

Thousands of asylum seekers have converged on the US border with Mexico, anticipating the lifting of pandemic-era restrictions, but there is no clear indication of what the process might be to enter the United States. People have been denied rights to seek asylum under US and international law 2.5 million times since March 2020 on grounds of preventing COVID-19 under …

Report finds ‘unnecessary’ force by agents at Rio Grande
2 years, 6 months ago

Report finds ‘unnecessary’ force by agents at Rio Grande

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback engaged in “unnecessary use of force” against non-threatening Haitian immigrants but didn’t whip any with their reins “intentionally or otherwise,” according to a federal investigation of chaotic scenes along the Texas-Mexico border last fall that sparked widespread condemnation. In a 511-page report released Friday, Customs and Border Protection blamed a “lack of …

Working conditions for Border Patrol getting more attention
2 years, 11 months ago

Working conditions for Border Patrol getting more attention

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas who oversees …

Haitian migrants pour out of U.S. into Mexico to avoid being sent back home
3 years, 3 months ago

Haitian migrants pour out of U.S. into Mexico to avoid being sent back home

LA Times  

President Biden said Tuesday that his administration is working to get the crisis on the U.S. southern border under control. “Thank God we can eat, but look how we’re sleeping,” said Jhonsy Profecta, 35, pointing to his cardboard pallet and then the bathrooms, which he said “don’t really work.” Profecta said a Border Patrol agent at the Del Rio, Texas, …

An outrage at America’s border (opinion)
3 years, 3 months ago

An outrage at America’s border (opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Patrice Lawrence is co-director of UndocuBlack, a community of currently and formerly undocumented Black people. Monday, the nation saw horrifying images of Border Patrol officials appearing to chase and confront asylum seekers, who were largely Haitian, near the international bridge between Coahuila, Mexico, and Del Rio, Texas. His horse charges, attempting to cut off a family’s path to …

‘We can’t survive’: Migrants in Mexico protest slow asylum system
3 years, 4 months ago

‘We can’t survive’: Migrants in Mexico protest slow asylum system

Al Jazeera  

Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers join caravan bound for Mexico City to demand expedited asylum proceedings. Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers from Central America and the Caribbean departed the southern Mexican city of Tapachula on Saturday in a caravan headed to the country’s capital, where they hoped to seek expedited asylum proceedings. The caravan comes after days of …

Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surge
3 years, 9 months ago

Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surge

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Delegation trips to the border. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a potential 2024 presidential candidate who is planning to lead his own Senate delegation tour to the Texas-Mexico border next Friday, accused the administration of having, “in effect, issued an invitation for unaccompanied children to come to this country.” Even Sen. Mitt Romney, one of Trump’s most prominent Republican …

First batch of asylum seekers waiting in Mexico allowed into US
3 years, 10 months ago

First batch of asylum seekers waiting in Mexico allowed into US

Al Jazeera  

In a reversal of a Trump-era policy, more than 25,000 asylum seekers will be allowed to pursue their claims in the US. “These people were pre-selected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as being particularly vulnerable and they were the first people to be processed,” Taylor Levy, an immigration lawyer based in California who represents asylum seekers …

Biden administration to start processing ‘Remain in Mexico’ asylum seekers in California
3 years, 11 months ago

Biden administration to start processing ‘Remain in Mexico’ asylum seekers in California

LA Times  

Migrants await the outcome of their U.S. immigration cases in a tent encampment in Matamoros, Mexico, in 2019. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement that the “initial phase” of restarting asylum processing marks “another step in our commitment to reform immigration policies that do not align with our nation’s values,” but he cautioned that at the …

'Poppycock!': Federal Judge Bars CBP Employees From Screening Asylum-Seekers
4 years, 4 months ago

'Poppycock!': Federal Judge Bars CBP Employees From Screening Asylum-Seekers

NPR  

': Federal Judge Bars CBP Employees From Screening Asylum-Seekers Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents lack the training to take over the initial processing of asylum claims, a federal judge wrote in a ruling filed Monday. Leon was not swayed by the Trump administration's argument that CBP and Border Patrol employees …

Trump administration proposes sweeping asylum restrictions
4 years, 7 months ago

Trump administration proposes sweeping asylum restrictions

Associated Press  

SAN DIEGO — The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed sweeping restrictions on asylum, seeking to align a legal framework with the president’s efforts to limit immigration to the United States. The administration will propose new definitions for some ways people qualify for asylum, specifically “political opinion” and membership in a “particular social group.” Asylum is for people who face persecution …

Asylum seekers attend border court amid outbreak
4 years, 9 months ago

Asylum seekers attend border court amid outbreak

Associated Press  

EL PASO, Texas — U.S. immigration courts sharply scaled back operations Monday but have stopped well short of a total shutdown demanded by employees, including judges and government attorneys. “Most of the children are asleep in their parent’s arms.” The Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review late Sunday postponed preliminary hearings for people who aren’t in custody through April …

Military-trained border agents being sent to US cities for immigration arrests
4 years, 10 months ago

Military-trained border agents being sent to US cities for immigration arrests

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump's administration plans …

Mexican asylum seekers fear deportation to Guatemala
5 years ago

Mexican asylum seekers fear deportation to Guatemala

Al Jazeera  

Under new US rules, Mexican asylum seekers can be flown to Guatemala to seek refuge there instead. “I can’t go home, they’ve already kidnapped my brother and son,” said Carlos, a Mexican trying to reach the US via the border city of Tijuana. “Going to Guatemala is like walking straight into the lion’s den,” Eugenio said, explaining he feared that …

Immigration: Trump administration proposes additional restrictions on asylum seekers
5 years ago

Immigration: Trump administration proposes additional restrictions on asylum seekers

CNN  

Washington CNN — The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed additional mandatory limits for asylum seekers, specifically targeting migrants who have committed certain crimes, including illegal reentry and driving while under the influence. This is the latest move by the Trump administration to severely limit the ability of people to claim asylum in the US, which has included sending people to …

Asylum seekers jam US border crossings to evade Trump policy
5 years, 1 month ago

Asylum seekers jam US border crossings to evade Trump policy

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — For months, asylum seekers have been prohibited from filing their claims at U.S. border crossings under a much-criticized Trump administration policy. The migrants’ efforts are causing traffic delays at Arizona crossings because U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials had to barricade lanes used by cars legally entering the U.S. from Mexico, officials said. In a statement, Customs and …

Asylum officers rebel against Trump policies they say are immoral and illegal
5 years, 1 month ago

Asylum officers rebel against Trump policies they say are immoral and illegal

LA Times  

It took Doug Stephens two days to decide: He wasn’t going to implement President Trump’s latest policy to restrict immigration, known as Remain in Mexico. “And I’m not doing them.” A spokesman for the union that represents some 13,000 Citizenship and Immigration Services employees said Stephens is believed to be the first asylum officer to formally refuse to conduct interviews …

12 Asylum-Seekers Julián Castro Escorted To The U.S. Border Sent Back To Mexico
5 years, 3 months ago

12 Asylum-Seekers Julián Castro Escorted To The U.S. Border Sent Back To Mexico

NPR  

12 Asylum-Seekers Julián Castro Escorted To The U.S. Border Sent Back To Mexico Enlarge this image toggle caption John Locher/AP John Locher/AP From Texas Public Radio Julián Castro, Presidential Candidate, Tours Asylum Seekers' Camp In Matamoros Latin America Mexico Ill-Equipped To Handle Asylum Seekers Barred From Entering The U.S. Mexico Ill-Equipped To Handle Asylum Seekers Barred From Entering The U.S. …

Tent courts set to open on border for US asylum seekers
5 years, 4 months ago

Tent courts set to open on border for US asylum seekers

Associated Press  

EL PASO, Texas — The Trump administration is ready to open a tent court on the border to help handle tens of thousands of cases of asylum seekers forced to wait in Mexico, with hearings held entirely by videoconference. Mexico’s Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence agreed Tuesday to expand the policy “to the fullest …

Trump administration appears to violate law in forcing asylum seekers back to Mexico, officials warn
5 years, 4 months ago

Trump administration appears to violate law in forcing asylum seekers back to Mexico, officials warn

LA Times  

From the roadside, Oswaldo Ortiz-Luna offered a box of candy to the cars idling in the golden dust of northern Mexico. They are among the thousands of asylum seekers trapped just beyond the border under the Trump administration’s signature policy — “Remain in Mexico.” Under the Migrant Protection Protocols — better known as Remain in Mexico — Trump administration officials …

Court: US can reject asylum along parts of Mexico border
5 years, 4 months ago

Court: US can reject asylum along parts of Mexico border

Associated Press  

HOUSTON — A federal appeals court on Friday cleared the way for the U.S. government to forbid Central American immigrants from seeking asylum at the two busiest stretches of the southern border in a partial legal victory for the Trump administration. Circuit Court of Appeals allows President Donald Trump to enforce the policy in New Mexico and Texas, rejecting asylum …

Trump to stop migrants claiming asylum after crossing Mexico in major border crackdown
5 years, 5 months ago

Trump to stop migrants claiming asylum after crossing Mexico in major border crackdown

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump’s administration has …

Donald Trump says immigrants 'unhappy' with conditions at detention centres should be told 'not to come'
5 years, 6 months ago

Donald Trump says immigrants 'unhappy' with conditions at detention centres should be told 'not to come'

Firstpost  

President Donald Trump, facing renewed criticism from Democrats and activists over his handling of a migrant crisis on the US- Mexico border Washington: President Donald Trump, facing renewed criticism from Democrats and activists over his handling of a migrant crisis on the US- Mexico border, said in a Twitter post on Wednesday that immigrants unhappy with conditions at detention centres …

Asylum Seekers Returned To Mexico Face ‘Dangerous And Unlivable Conditions’: Report
5 years, 6 months ago

Asylum Seekers Returned To Mexico Face ‘Dangerous And Unlivable Conditions’: Report

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A new report found that asylum seekers, largely from Central America, are “facing potentially dangerous and unlivable conditions” in Mexico after being returned there to await immigration proceedings under the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” policy. The Human Rights Watch report, released Tuesday, was based on more than 20 in-depth interviews with asylum seekers in early May …

Asylum Officers: Trump's 'Remain In Mexico' Policy Is Against 'Moral Fabric' Of U.S.
5 years, 6 months ago

Asylum Officers: Trump's 'Remain In Mexico' Policy Is Against 'Moral Fabric' Of U.S.

NPR  

Asylum Officers: Trump's 'Remain In Mexico' Policy Is Against 'Moral Fabric' Of U.S. Enlarge this image toggle caption Christian Torres/AP Christian Torres/AP The labor union for federal asylum officers is condemning President Trump's policy of sending migrants to Mexico as they wait for their assigned court dates in the U.S., calling the Trump administration's program "fundamentally contrary to the moral …

For thousands of asylum seekers, all they can do is wait
5 years, 8 months ago

For thousands of asylum seekers, all they can do is wait

Associated Press  

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — For thousands of asylum seekers, there are many ways to wait — and wait, and wait — at the threshold of the United States. “It’s not turning people away, it’s asking them to wait,” then-Customs and Border Protection Commissioner and current acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said in October. “If I call you and you …

Migrant Protection Protocols May Not Deliver Promised Aid To Asylum-Seekers
5 years, 8 months ago

Migrant Protection Protocols May Not Deliver Promised Aid To Asylum-Seekers

NPR  

Migrant Protection Protocols May Not Deliver Promised Aid To Asylum-Seekers A federal appeals court ruled this week that a Trump administration program that returns some asylum-seekers to Mexico to wait out cases can continue for now. And as the court case goes forward, some immigrant advocates say this policy is not offering real protections for migrants, even though it is …

Donald Trump orders officials to charge fees for asylum seekers wanting refuge in US
5 years, 8 months ago

Donald Trump orders officials to charge fees for asylum seekers wanting refuge in US

ABC  

US President Donald Trump is proposing to charge asylum seekers a fee to process their applications as he continues to try to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants seeking to cross into the United States. Key points: Mr Trump said the asylum system was "in crisis" and plagued by "rampant abuse" Migrant families arriving at the southern …

Internal memos say Trump officials to resume forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico
5 years, 8 months ago

Internal memos say Trump officials to resume forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico

LA Times  

A group of about 30 Brazilian migrants who just crossed the border sit on the ground near U.S. Border Patrol agents on the U.S.-Mexico border in Sunland Park, N.M. The Trump administration moved Monday to restart a controversial policy that forces Central American asylum seekers to return to Mexico to await adjudication of their claims, an approach dubbed “Remain in …

Judge blocks Trump’s asylum policy but delays enforcement
5 years, 9 months ago

Judge blocks Trump’s asylum policy but delays enforcement

Associated Press  

A U.S. judge decided Monday to block the Trump administration’s policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico as they wait for an immigration court to hear their cases, but the ruling is on hold for several days. Seeborg also said a law that President Donald Trump’s administration cited as its authority to send back migrants does not apply to asylum …

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets
5 years, 9 months ago

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets

NPR  

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP The U.S. Border Patrol is releasing asylum-seeking migrants who were recently apprehended in Texas' Rio Grande Valley without detaining them because officials say detention facilities are full to capacity. This is not the first time migrant advocates have suggested that the …

Marking start of Donald Trump's major policy shift, first group of migrants seeking asylum in US sent back to Mexico's Tijuana
5 years, 11 months ago

Marking start of Donald Trump's major policy shift, first group of migrants seeking asylum in US sent back to Mexico's Tijuana

Firstpost  

The US policy, dubbed the Migrant Protection Protocols, will return non-Mexican migrants who cross the US southern border back to wait in Mexico while their asylum requests are processed in US immigration courts. Mexico City/New York: The US government will return the first group of migrants seeking asylum in the United States to the Mexican border city of Tijuana on …

Trump Administration Will Send Asylum-Seekers To Mexico While Claims Are Processed
6 years ago

Trump Administration Will Send Asylum-Seekers To Mexico While Claims Are Processed

NPR  

Trump Administration Will Send Asylum-Seekers To Mexico While Claims Are Processed Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images Updated at 2:20 p.m. ET Migrants who cross the U.S. Southern border and seek asylum will be required to wait in Mexico while their claims are being processed, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Thursday. 'Catch and release' …

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