Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The flow of migrants at the border Juarez City and attempts to illegal crossing a U.S have increased in recent weeks after the arrival of Joe Biden to the White House and while the immediate return policy remains active, leading to higher than normal occupancy rates in the hostels.
As a sign of the rise of this phenomenon, at least last Friday 47 migrants of different nationalities the Rio Grande to surrender to the Border Patrol from U.S, while dozens of others gave up trying to get members of the Mexican National Guard.
This is the case of Caridad, who has left after Honduras she concluded with her two daughters cross the border in front of apply for political asylum to the Democrat government Joe Biden, who came to power with a immigration Reformation under the arm.
“I want someand study them because i am in my country I do not have anythingI don’t even have a house, I don’t have anything, ”the woman told Efe on Tuesday.
After walking the edge of the Bravo river, who goes with little water, Caridad and her daughters have one border pointwithout a military presence and crossed over to surrender to the agents of the Border Patrol from U.S with the intention of making the political asylum.
“Where we come from, there is a lot of poverty “the woman said before taking off her slippers and crossing the river. And like them, dozens of others have chosen to pursue the American dream in recent weeks immigration authorities consulted by Efe they did not give exact figures.
According to official data provided to Efe, the number was in 2020 2,132 foreigners presented to the immigration authorities in the state of Chihuahua.
REFORM VS. DEPLOYED
One of the first steps Biden took a few hours after arriving at the White House was to freeze the building of the border wall with Mexico, protect the program ALS in front of undocumented who came to U.S when they were children and included undocumented migrantss in the census.
He also announced the permanent abolition of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) – known as “Stay in México”– that forced the applicants for refugees in U.S to wait for your trial Mexico.
Enrique Valenzuela, General Coordinator of the Northern State’s State Population Council (COESPO) Chihuahua, recalled that the new policy has not prevented many migrants from being returned under Title 42.
Title 42 is still in effect, which has nothing to do with one immigration policy, but health, ”he said.
During the administration of Trumpthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued Title 42 in March 2020 as part of the government’s response to the covid19 pandemic.
This provision states that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can forcibly return through the border to migrants that arrived irregularly U.Swithout giving them the chance apply for asylum or protection.
“This is not the best time to start the journey and reach this frontier with the intention of entering U.Ssaid the officer.
According to official data, a total of dand 184,423 Mexicans they were repatriated from U.S in 2020.
Of these, there were 13,471 Mexicans deported through the boundary points of Chihuahua.
LIFE IN HOSTELS
Due to the ceaseless migration flow that is north of Chihuahua Ciudad Juárez has had that for years 16 hostels that can serve about 1,000 people.
Pan de Vida has several houses of white with blue colors that are the same migrants they painted. There is a large patio with swings and more games for children.
Ismael Martínez, responsible for this property which today houses about 150 people, including six pregnant, convinced that the recent increase in migration is due to the new American policy.
“A lot of migrants come with false hope and believe that through the North American Authorities They will leave them there, ‘said the activist, who insisted on having a’ plan b ‘not to come U.S.
Most of the people in this hostels They are young people between 18 and 23 years old who have been injured, mental or physical, during the crossing or crossing.
The coyotes transfer them, charge them between $ 4,000 and $ 5,000 for their services and, if the attempt fails, the migrants are seen at the border Juarez City often picked.
Fully pandemic, to the usual dangers is added that of cbecome infected with covid. And, in fact, there are shelters that are partially or fully assigned to confirmed cases or suspected of the disease.
BORDER DANGERS
Fatima, a woman, spends the night in Pan de Vida salvadoran 32-year-old whose trip to Ciudad Juárez was one dangerous Odyssey.
She traveled by truck (bus) or “hitchhiking” with her husband and young children. With grief, he explained that he is still all hunger they went through.
See: The arrival of Honduran families in the US creates the first border crisis for Biden
They arrived almost 2 years ago to Ciudad Juárez, where was kidnapped with her family. That’s why he assured live “in fear”.
About the new wave of migrantyes, he regretted that the newbies were not aware of the law and difficulties to enter the country.
She hopes, after years of waiting and hard work, to solve her migration situation and enter legally United States in nNovember, after an appointment before the court to assess your case and that of your family.
Just like Caridad and Fátima, in this arid city in the north of Mexico sand today they mix newcomers with a suitcase of illusions and those veterans in the difficult art of surviving migration, uncertainty and the health crisis. EFE