Thousands of migrants at the US-Mexico border await the end of Title 42

Tens of thousands of migrants make improvised camps along Mexico’s northern border amid uncertainty and chaos, hoping to cross into the United States on the eve of the end of Title 42.

Only in Tijuana, on the border with California, thousands of migrants of various nationalities, including entire families and children, congregate between the border walls days before Title 42 ends, Thursday night, to request humanitarian asylum in the United States. Joined.

The camp has been growing since last weekend with people from Colombia, Venezuela, PeruHaiti, and Honduras, but also from distant countries such as Turkey and Bosnia, as well as Mexicans from the southern states of Michoacán and Guerrero, where the violence of organized crime displaces them.

A migrant from Colombia, who omitted her name for security reasons, said that she arrived with her husband at this camp last Monday, after having flown from her country to Mexico City, from where she went to Tijuana.

Like other migrants, the woman had the idea that she could request humanitarian asylum before the end of Title 42.

The migrant shared that it has been complicated by the cold weather that is still perceived in the area, but “The saddest thing has been the family separation”.

She explained that on Monday night she was separated from her husband, since United States Border Patrol agents took all the single men or those traveling as a couple to take them to another space, and left only the women, families, and mothers. single in that place.

The woman explained that she does not know the reasons for the separation.

“They only took them away, but they are returning them because they don’t have food, they don’t have water and, obviously, one is turning himself in, but they should leave us as family groups.”, he commented.

Uncertainty at the border

Uncertainty at the border grows before the end next Thursday of Title 42, a measure adopted by Donald Trump (2017-2021) and later continued by President Joe Biden to expel migrants on the grounds of the COVID-19 pandemic, a declaration of emergency that is about to end in the United States.

The families of migrants who were in the camp between Tijuana and San Diego, California, were registered by Border Patrol agents using identification bracelets, with which they would be identified to be processed before May 11, still with the Title 42, under an exception or “parole” humanitarian.

“The intention is that they prosecute us with Title 42 for a humanitarian ‘parole’ and not with Title 8, which will be very different”, said the Colombian migrant.

He also shared that he previously tried to apply for asylum using the “CBP One” app, but had no luck because it crashes a lot.

“There are people who have been trying for a month and have not made the appointment,” he said.

Tired and overwhelmed migrants

Other migrants consulted by EFE who did not want to identify themselves or appear before the cameras, said they were overwhelmed and tired of the whole situation, because they are not clear about what will happen to them, especially the women who were separated from their husbands. , brothers and relatives.

This situation is aggravated because they do not know how Title 8 is going to work, which they consider to be much more severe because it would raise illegal crossing files and prevent them from reapplying for asylum.

The Colombian migrant woman finally said that she hopes that the authorities understand the situation they are going through and grant them their asylum processes, since many are only looking for new life projects.

“Our countries are very difficult economically and we want a better life, that is our goal, we do not want to harm anyone, we do not want to harm anyone, all we want is to work”, he pointed out.

The region is facing an unprecedented migratory flow, with more than 2.76 million undocumented immigrants intercepted by the United States at the border with Mexico in fiscal year 2022.

Source: EFE