Border patrol this Thursday detained hundreds of refugees who pushed at least two doors from the border border fence between Mexico and the United States near the city of El Paso (Texas).

on the eve of end of title 42a Trump era measure that allowed for the expulsion of migrants from the United States due to health concerns such as the covid-19 pandemic, thousands of them have chosen to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico and surrender to the border patrol.

Migrants fear the rule that remains in force, title 8. While it allows asylum applications to be accepted, it also speeds up deportations, deportations and sanctions, such as banning anyone attempting to enter the country irregularly.

A migrant man crosses the banks of the Rio Grande to be processed by the El Paso, Texas Sector Border Patrol, after crossing from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico on May 10, 2023. Photo: AFP

After being clustered into two large groups by officers for several days at gates 40 and 42 of the fence, about 10 miles east of the city of El Paso, they were taken out first by buses and later in vans.

At door 40 they came out in a line, many with their heads down, some with their hands cuffed behind their backs, and got into the vehicles that had been loading from before seven in the morning until half past ten. with the refugees and depart for the Border Patrol detention centers.

After clearing the area where they were, between the five-meter wall and the Rio Grande, still American territory, they proceeded to remove plastic and other debris left behind by the migrants.

Around noon, the process was repeated at gate 42.

The detainees will have to be dealt with by the Border Patrol, which will decide whether they can start the asylum application procedure or whether they will be deported.

Border Patrol and US National Guard agents are seen today conducting a training exercise from the Mexican side of the border near the San Ysidro Garita in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Photo: EFE

Over the past three days, border agents have intimidated and coaxed hundreds of undocumented refugees camped around Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in downtown El Paso. turn themselves in to the authorities if they did not want to be forcibly detained.

Similarly, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser has announced in recent hours that the city has 4,400 new beds to accommodate migrants, but only those who have passed border guard triage.

Aerial image taken May 10, 2023 of the Basset High School facility, which will accommodate up to 500 new entrants in good standing, who have turned themselves in to Border Patrol and passed their screening, in El Paso, Texas, USA. Photo: EFE

Washington is also urging tightening of anti-immigration measures.

After the expiration of Title 42, Title 8 appliesthe norm that has traditionally governed migration in the United States and, in addition, the administration of President Joe Biden has announced new measures limiting access to asylum applications at the border with Mexico.

These new measures deem migrants who cross the border irregularly and who have not applied for protection in a third country during their journey to the US as “unfit” to apply for asylum.

Campaign to deter migrants

At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has just launched a publicity campaign to persuade Latin American migrants fleeing their country not to enter the United States.

“Don’t listen to what the smugglers say: learn about the US immigration system,” says a DHS post on its Twitter page.

This The security department specified that the campaign will be conducted in countries such as Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia, and the messages will also be spread “along the migration route and on the most popular social media platforms among migrants”.

“The coyote (human smuggler) scammed us. Entering the US illegally is a crime. Say no to the coyote’ is written in Spanish in a text written in red and white over an image of a migrant family with two children on their backs, which is part of this campaign.

Another photo, this time of a border patrol, features the phrase: “The immigration laws of the United States are still in effect. Illegal crossing is a criminal offence.”

Another snap of two migrants being put on a plane to be deported reads: “Illegal crossing is a crime: it has consequences.”

A third digital flyer states: “The immigration laws of the United States have become stricter. The United States government is making changes beginning May 12 to increase the impact of illegal entry into the country.”

“These consequences include deportation, a 5-year entry ban and prosecution of repeat offenders.”the message continues, before warning that “those who do not follow the legal route to enter the US may not be eligible for asylum”.