As a result of the measures approved by U.S. President Joe Biden, which prevent irregular migrants from seeking asylum in the United States after crossing the border illegally, and the collapse of the CBP One mobile app, members of the border patrol are concerned about an increase in the number of people attempting to cross through more dangerous migration routes, where some sadly face fatal consequences.
Daniel Medrano, head of the Fire Department in Sunland Park, a small town surrounded by desert and bordered by mountains that form a natural boundary with Mexico, warned that summer is the busiest season for them, reported the EFE agency, as cited by Forbes.
“This doesn't stop, and there are still four months left,” the official stated, warning about the rise in illegal crossings at the United States-Mexico border.
Rescuers come to the aid of migrants who, while attempting to cross the hostile terrain, halt their journey and are abandoned by human traffickers known as coyotes.
Most of the people being assisted are in "very poor condition," he noted. But in the worst cases, they are already dealing with a corpse.
According to EFE, an increasing number of people are seeking emergency care or dying in the border area, severely affected by the high temperatures recorded during this time.
He noted that in the last four years, extending beyond the region, “the number of migrants who die or require emergency care along the southern border continues to rise.”
However, he warned that "the new asylum restrictions enacted by the Biden Administration could exacerbate this situation."
The numbers don't lie. The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported in 2022, the latest year for which data is available, that 895 bodies of deceased migrants were found in the border area.
The figure represents the highest since 1998, reflecting a 200% increase compared to 2020, when 254 deaths were recorded.
“In the same way, in 2022, there were over 7,112 emergencies related to migrants at the border, while in 2020, this figure was 1,196,” EFE reported.
Claudio Herrera, a Border Patrol agent, pointed out that "the reality is that it is not a safe crossing; it can turn into a nightmare," referring to the trend of coyotes using more rugged routes with the promise of taking migrants to the United States.
However, activists and experts argue that it is the policies of the Biden Administration that drive migrants to take these risky paths and rely on smugglers.
Edith Tapia, an expert from the International Rescue Committee, pointed to the new immigration restrictions as one of the culprits, as they prohibit most individuals detained for irregular crossing from applying for asylum.
In this regard, he pointed out that in the past, people emigrating from countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua would turn themselves in to the authorities and request asylum upon crossing the border.
The new changes compel individuals to attempt to escape through more dangerous routes, where water is scarce and they are exposed to the risk of heatstroke, noted Fernando García from the Border Network for Human Rights.
The situation is worsening due to issues with the CBP One application. Last May, the U.S. government acknowledged that problems with this platform were preventing dozens of migrants from confirming appointments for asylum interviews at the border with Mexico.
Journalist Daniel Benítez reported on Facebook that since Tuesday, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Mexican migrants have reported that the platform does not allow them to confirm their asylum appointments, prompting them to request a response from the U.S. government.
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