ICS Affirms Support for Asylum Seekers
On June 4, the United States took a devastating step back on immigrant rights. The U.S Government enacted an executive order that imposes severe restrictions on the ability of immigrants to seek asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Specifically, the executive order allows the federal government to bar migrants from seeking asylum when it deems that the southern border is overwhelmed. This ban will go into effect when more than 2,500 migrants reach ports of entry on the border each day. However, border arrivals have not dipped below 2,500 since January 2021, so the order could go into effect immediately.
Once the order is in effect, migrants who arrive at the border but do not express fear of returning to their home countries will be subject to immediate removal from the United States, within a matter of days or even hours. Those migrants could face punishments that could include a five-year bar from reentering the U.S. or even criminal prosecution.
Meanwhile, anyone who expresses that fear or an intention to seek asylum will be screened by a U.S. asylum officer but at a higher standard than currently used. If they pass the screening, they can pursue more limited forms of humanitarian protection, including the U.N. Convention Against Torture.
ICS has long been concerned by attempts by the U.S. government—under many administrations—to curtail the rights of asylum seekers, who are often the most vulnerable migrants. “Any decision to restrict asylum access endangers the lives of migrants who have embarked on perilous journeys,” said ICS Executive Director Frank Garcia. “It also sends a message to immigrant communities living in the United States that they are not welcome.”
Many asylum seekers are unaccompanied children. Each year, thousands of children fleeing poverty, war, gangs, or abusive family relationships enter the U.S. as unaccompanied children separated from their parents or legal guardians. ICS is the sole non-profit organization providing legal services for unaccompanied children in Oregon.
“Seeking asylum is a legal right, enshrined in U.S. and international law. Challenges at the border reflect an immigration system that is not designed or equipped to humanely handle its legal and moral responsibilities. The fault should not be placed at the feet of people fleeing persecution,” Garcia noted.
ICS will continue to work tirelessly to advocate for humane immigration policies and to support the rights of all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.