US expands Central American refugee services
It amazes me how the administration did not foresee the backlash that was to come from its decision to raid homes in search of individuals from Central America who had failed to convince asylum judges of the merits of their cases or did not show up in the first place.
I get the fact that these people were already given the opportunity to go before an judge to plead their cases. However, we know that the system is rife with problems. Asylum applicants don't always know their rights and they don't always have access to well-prepared lawyers. Even if they have a difficult time convincing an asylum judge that they meet the requirements of asylum or withholding of removal and protection under the convention against torture, that doesn't mean that the environment to which they are to be returned isn't dangerous enough.
They've suffered to different degrees in their home countries, during the passage through Mexico, waiting in US holding facilities, and then in their reunification with family in the states. Raids are simply traumatizing already traumatized people. I though that we left raids behind when President Bush retired to his ranch in Texas.
US Secretary of State John Kerry announced this week that the US is going to expand its policies to help process and relocate Central Americans fleeing violence.
I get the fact that these people were already given the opportunity to go before an judge to plead their cases. However, we know that the system is rife with problems. Asylum applicants don't always know their rights and they don't always have access to well-prepared lawyers. Even if they have a difficult time convincing an asylum judge that they meet the requirements of asylum or withholding of removal and protection under the convention against torture, that doesn't mean that the environment to which they are to be returned isn't dangerous enough.
They've suffered to different degrees in their home countries, during the passage through Mexico, waiting in US holding facilities, and then in their reunification with family in the states. Raids are simply traumatizing already traumatized people. I though that we left raids behind when President Bush retired to his ranch in Texas.
US Secretary of State John Kerry announced this week that the US is going to expand its policies to help process and relocate Central Americans fleeing violence.
Speaking on foreign policy at the National Defense University in Washington on Wednesday, Kerry said: “I am pleased to announce that we have plans to expand the US refugee admissions programme in order to help vulnerable families and individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, and offer them a safe and legal alternative to the dangerous journey that many are tempted to begin, making them at that instant easy prey for human smugglers who have no interest but their own profit.”
The state department said it would work with the UN and non-government organisations to identify people in need of refugee protection, including human rights activists.
A department spokesman added that, unlike the existing in-country programme for Central American minors, this will not be a direct application program. Instead, it will be based upon referrals from organisations that work with vulnerable populations in the three countries. Also unlike the existing Central American minors programme, individuals and families without relatives in the US will be eligible.You can read more about the program along with comments from Adam Isacson and me in Nina Lakhani's article on US to expand refugee admissions for Central Americans fleeing violence for The Guardian.
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