Thread: Larger group of asylum seekers returned to Mexico as Trump policy gets underway

Larger group of asylum seekers returned to Mexico as Trump policy gets underway


A group of migrants that were in CBP custody in San Diego for processing during their initial request for asylum in the U.S. are returned to Mexico at El Chaparral port of entry in Mexico. The individuals will wait in Mexico until their scheduled Federal court date in the U.S. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)


Kate Morrissey Contact Reporter


Border officials in the U.S. returned about a dozen people, mostly men, to Tijuana on Wednesday on the second day of the Trump administration's policy that requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico for their immigration court proceedings.

The pilot program began Tuesday with one Honduran man crossing back to the plaza at El Chaparral where asylum seekers line up each morning to wait their turn in a months-long queue to ask the United States for protection. Those crossing back will face another wait in Tijuana until they cross on their court dates to see immigration judges in the U.S.

Immigration officials on both sides of the border said that 11 more returned on Wednesday. Activists and observers in the plaza said they counted at least 17 who had come back that day.

Some crossed back through PedWest at the San Ysidro Port of Entry to El Chaparral alone or in small groups. Others came back as part of a large group led by Mexican immigration officials late in the afternoon.

A 19-year-old Honduran named Marlon who arrived with the most recent migrant caravan was among those in the large group. He was glad to be back in Tijuana, he said.

"I didn't want to be there, above all because of the food. They had us locked up," he said in Spanish.

"It's better to be here than there locked up."

He, like the others, was given a court date for March. He plans to stay in a shelter at a church while he waits, he said.

Another Honduran man, Douglas, who had arrived with the caravan was similarly relieved to be free in Tijuana compared to his experience in holding cells at the port of entry.

"For us, it's an advantage," he said. "The rest will be waiting two months in prison, and we're here free and can get work in Tijuana while we wait."

Douglas is a youth pastor who fled death threats after he was severely beaten by gang members for working to get security cameras installed in his neighborhood. He carries the proof in both photos and scars.

He said that once his name was called on Tuesday from the wait list, he and the rest of the group of 45 were taken to the east side of the port of entry in the afternoon to be processed.

Officials took their backpacks, shoelaces and jewelry, he said.

They were asked to identify themselves and where in the United States they wanted to go. Officials took their fingerprints and checked their names and tattoos, if they had any.

Then they spent about 14 hours in the holding cells. He was split from the friends he entered with, and at first he wanted to cry, he said, but then in the holding cell he found other people he knew from the recent caravan.

Then an immigration official took them for interviews and asked about why they wanted asylum in the U.S., he said. That official explained that he would have to go back to Mexico to wait for his court date.

He learned that he would need to find an immigration attorney in the U.S. to help him with his case. The official told him that he should have that attorney before his first court hearing in a month and a half.

He wasn't sure how to go about finding one, he said. The challenge of finding an attorney in the U.S. while living in Mexico didn't seem to deter him.

"We have another wait," Douglas said. "We have another opportunity to keep going with our case.

We're hoping we won't have to go home and will have an opportunity for life."

He will stay with an American who lives in Tijuana and helped him during his wait to ask for asylum.

He acknowledged that his friendship with the American will make his stay in Tijuana easier than it will be for those who are relying on shelters for places to sleep.

"We have this little part of the United States here with us, giving us a voice and supporting us so we can continue with our cases," he said.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...130-story.html

First asylum seekers from Central America returned to Mexico

Hear the case via Skype at a US Embassy in Mexico.

Do not bring them here...they do not qualify!!!

Douglas is a youth pastor who fled death threats after he was severely beaten by gang members for working to get security cameras installed in his neighborhood. He carries the proof in both photos and scars.

Okay, I don't know if this individual will be granted asylum or not, but one thing is for sure, he shouldn't! These folks act like something wrong happening in the city, town or community they're living in is a justifiable reason to seek asylum in the United States. How ridiculous is that when they have a whole country to relocate in. Death threats in one town does not equate to death threats throughout the country. I can only hope the immigration courts see this the same way I do.

These security camera photos could be staged as well.

Go home! Move somewhere else in your country.

We have violence here too!

Originally Posted by MW

Okay, I don't know if this individual will be granted asylum or not, but one thing is for sure, he shouldn't! These folks act like something wrong happening in the city, town or community they're living in is a justifiable reason to seek asylum in the United States. How ridiculous is that when they have a whole country to relocate in. Death threats in one town does not equate to death threats throughout the country. I can only hope the immigration courts see this the same way I do.

I don't think that "fleeing violence" should be a qualified excuse for people from these countries. First, 99% of these people use that as an excuse to get in for economic reasons, because they know that lie will work. Second, no one from any country that isn't in the middle of a major civil war, with mass genocide happening, should even be considered under that reason, and I am not aware of any civil wars with mass genocides going on south of our border.

Second, why the hell haven't we cut off all aid to these countries who won't lift a finger to stop their caravans of people from coming here?

And as far as the threat of violence thing, I agree with you MW, they can move to a different location in their own country. Their excuses just don't hold water.

Also, if they were truthful about fleeing violence, then why wouldn't they take Mexico up on their offer to take them in? Why do they absolutely have to come here? Another thing that shows that they are lying about the reason they fled.

Mexico confirms ending fast-track visa program for Central American caravan

Homeland Security to have migrant families wait in Mexico for asylum

The First Asylum-Seeking Families Sent Back To Mexico

There are MILLIONS to send back and their UAC's!

They are NOT our financial responsibility!