Scaring away those who need our help
Tens of thousands of Central Americans have fled to the US in recent years because of unrelenting violence, the absence of economic opportunities, and the failings of their political systems. Once in the United States, many of these individuals have sought protection through the asylum process. The immigration court system has been overwhelmed by the sheer number of applicants because there are not enough immigration judges, border patrol agents capable of offering a credible fear interview, attorneys familiar enough with asylum proceedings and conditions in Central America willing to work for little to nothing, expert witnesses who have the expertise and feel comfortable enough speaking to the conditions on the ground in the region, and translators and counseling professionals who can assist applicants' through the unfamiliar and often intimidating process.
In order to give each person a fair shot at attaining asylum, we needed to invest in all these areas of the asylum process, plus some. Instead, the Trump administration's approach to foreigners - be it in terms of tourism (the travel ban), refugees (again a ban), legal immigration (looking to cut the numbers in half and only those "worthy" enough to be admitted), and undocumented immigration (they are all bad hombres now) - is designed to make them fear the US and encourage them to look elsewhere for vacation, safety from persecution, and economic opportunity.
In terms of asylum, the administration's efforts, as well as those of the previous administration, have caused many of those seeking asylum to flee to Canada (Seriously, how awful is it that Canadian authorities open Montreal's Olympic Stadium to house asylum seekers?) or to go into the shadows in the US out of fear that their cases won't be given a fair hearing (Fearful of Court, Asylum Seekers are Banished in Absentia). More than 4,300 people seeking refugee status have left the US for Canada in 2017. And for those who've tried their luck in US immigration courts, "Of nearly 100,000 parents and children who have come before the courts since 2014, most asking for refuge, judges have issued rulings in at least 32,500 cases, court records show. The majority - 70 percent - ended with deportation orders in absentia, pronounced by judges to empty courtrooms."
No one is asking the US to let everybody in. We are just asking that the US act more compassionately and consistently with the best, not the worst, of our country's history. Invest the resources necessary to give our fellow human beings an opportunity to plead their cases.
In order to give each person a fair shot at attaining asylum, we needed to invest in all these areas of the asylum process, plus some. Instead, the Trump administration's approach to foreigners - be it in terms of tourism (the travel ban), refugees (again a ban), legal immigration (looking to cut the numbers in half and only those "worthy" enough to be admitted), and undocumented immigration (they are all bad hombres now) - is designed to make them fear the US and encourage them to look elsewhere for vacation, safety from persecution, and economic opportunity.
In terms of asylum, the administration's efforts, as well as those of the previous administration, have caused many of those seeking asylum to flee to Canada (Seriously, how awful is it that Canadian authorities open Montreal's Olympic Stadium to house asylum seekers?) or to go into the shadows in the US out of fear that their cases won't be given a fair hearing (Fearful of Court, Asylum Seekers are Banished in Absentia). More than 4,300 people seeking refugee status have left the US for Canada in 2017. And for those who've tried their luck in US immigration courts, "Of nearly 100,000 parents and children who have come before the courts since 2014, most asking for refuge, judges have issued rulings in at least 32,500 cases, court records show. The majority - 70 percent - ended with deportation orders in absentia, pronounced by judges to empty courtrooms."
No one is asking the US to let everybody in. We are just asking that the US act more compassionately and consistently with the best, not the worst, of our country's history. Invest the resources necessary to give our fellow human beings an opportunity to plead their cases.
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