Thousands of Russians seek asylum in the US through the Mexico border

Maksim Derzhko says that it was one of the worst experiences of his life. A longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, he flew with his 14-year-old daughter from Vladivostok to Tijuana, on the US border, and they were in a car with seven other Russians. The only thing that separated them from the possibility of applying for asylum in the United States was an agent from the immigration service.

“It’s hard to describe what it feels like”commented. “Afraid. Fear of the unknown. It is very hard. We had no other choice.”.

All went well. After spending a day in custody, Derzkho was released so he could seek asylum with his daughter, joining thousands of Russians who have taken that path in recent days.

Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine give way to harsh sanctions United States and its allies, there was a sharp increase in the number of asylum requests from Russians.

More than 8,600 Russians applied for asylum at the border with Mexico between August 2021 and January 2022, compared to 249 in the same period the previous year. Nine out of ten showed up at the border crossing in San Diego.

Emigrants from other former Soviet republics follow the same route, although in smaller numbers. The number of Ukrainians doing so is expected to increase soon.

United States admitted a Ukrainian family of four on humanitarian grounds Thursday, after rejecting them twice.

Russians do not need visas to visit Mexicoyes to enter United States. Many fly from Moscow to the resort of cancunentering Mexico as tourists, and from there they go to Tijuana, where they pile into vehicles they buy or rent.

As they approach the San Ysidro crossing, through which they enter San Diego about 30,000 cars a day, they increase the nerves.

There are concrete barriers in the 24 lanes, in which the promontories in yellow abound. Before reaching the checkpoints there is a security zone.

People who reach the safety zone can now apply for asylum in the United States. But officials on the Mexican side of the border stop them, look at their vehicles, ask for documents and pull over cars that look suspicious.

“We were very scared”said Derzhko, who crossed the border in August, in an interview from The Angels. “The boys who were with us were very alarmed”.

Russians offer recommendations on social networks and messaging services. One who did not identify himself recounted his journey from the Red Square from Moscow to a hotel San Diegowith scales on cancun and in the Mexico City.

In a video he posted on Youtube he looks nervous after buying a car in Tijuana. Later, however, he tells from San Diego that everything went well despite the fact that he spent two days in custody in United States. He advises those who consider following his path not to be afraid.

The Russians are almost assured of asylum if they step on US soil despite the fact that the president Joe Biden maintains severe Donald Trump-era restrictions on immigration.

Immigration agents can deny migrants the chance to apply for asylum on the grounds that they could spread the virus. COVID-19. But costs, logistical issues and strained diplomatic relations make it difficult to send people of certain nationalities back to their countries.

Russians and citizens of other former Soviet republics prefer to reach border crossings by car rather than attempt an illegal crossing through deserts and mountains.

They generally do not hire coyotes, but rather get intermediaries to help them with their plans, according to Chad Plantzspecial agent in charge of the unit Department of Homeland Security investigations on San Diego.

Although the route Moscow-Cancun is the most popular, some Russians travel from amsterdam or Paris to Mexico City and from there they go to Tijuanaaccording to Plantz.

There have been tense situations. In one of them, a 29-year-old Russian man driving a sport utility vehicle sped past the yellow headlands in San Ysidro on Dec. 12 and then slammed on the brakes, causing a vehicle carrying six Russian asylum seekers to rear-end him. An agent fired four shots, but no one was injured, according to Customs and Border Protection, which is investigating the incident.

The lawyer for the Russian who was driving the van, Martin Molina, said that his client sped up when he saw a gap in the lanes. In his vehicle were 11 other Russians, including his wife, a five-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. The passengers raised their hands and shouted “asylum!”.

“All he saw were the bright lights of San Ysidro”Molina said. “I wanted to get there”.

A judge ordered the driver’s release after spending nearly three months in detention. The Associated Press He does not reveal his identity at the request of the lawyer Molina, who said that publicity could compromise his safety.

The man, who opposed Russian intervention in Chechnyaplanned to seek asylum with his family in Brooklyn (New York).

Other incidents raised concern, according to Plantz. On the same December 12, the driver of a car with migrants from Ukraine and Tajikistan he ignored an officer’s order to show identification and sped up. The exterior mirror of the car struck the officer’s hand, according to legal documents.

“Surely they are a little confused, they don’t know what they are doing. But they don’t obey the order to brake and accelerate “Plantz said.

Erika Pinheirodirector of litigation and policies of To the other sidean organization that has filed lawsuits over the performance of border agents, said border agents United States they coordinate with those of Mexico to prevent the arrival of migrants to the security zone.

Yulia Pashkovaa San Diego attorney who represents Russians seeking asylum, says the number of applicants increased after the arrest of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny last year. Asylum seekers include Putin opponents, gays, Muslims and businessmen who are extorted by the authorities.

“When they think of the United States, they think of freedom, democracy and, to be honest, a good economic situation”commented.