Trump Policies Responsible for Endangering Asylum Seekers' Lives

The policies implemented under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have worsened the perilous conditions in which tens of thousands of asylum seekers are crossing the border between the United States and Mexico, said a report issued Thursday by Amnesty International.

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“Extreme policies won’t change the fact that for many of these people seeking asylum, the danger is so great at home that they have no choice but to flee,” said Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA. “Rather than being deterred, people will be forced into the desert, into the rivers, and into the hands of smugglers. These policies place those fleeing violence in deadly peril,” she added.

The damning report, titled, “Facing Walls: USA and Mexico’s Violation of the Rights of Asylum Seekers,” found that recent measures such as the Jan. 25 Executive Order on “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements” were violating basic human rights.

The U.S. administration fails to protect vulnerable populations that run away from life-threatening situations by refusing to welcome them while detaining asylum seekers for an excessive amount of time — up to 600 days according to Amnesty's fieldwork investigation.

“The U.S. is building a cruel watertight system to prevent people in need from receiving international protection and Mexico is all too willing to play the role of the U.S.’ gatekeeper,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.

The organization also criticized the important budget dedicated to increasing the capacity of existing detention centers for migrants and asylum seekers with over 50,000 places.

“Instead of slamming the door shut and likely pushing people to their deaths, or warehousing children and families in jail-like settings, the U.S. must scrap Trump’s order,” added Huang. “Maintaining border security and showing compassion for those fleeing violence don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”