This week, President Biden signed an executive order that significantly restricts the ability for people arriving at the US Southern border from asking for asylum. Under the order, no asylum requests will be accepted per day after 2,500 migrant encounters at official ports of entry. Those who persist to ask for asylum after the cap is reached and do not express fear of returning to their home countries could face a five-year ban from re-entering the US.
Migrant Clinicians Network has a 40-year history of serving the health and well-being of newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers. We have served thousands who have arrived at the US Southern border. Many have mental and physical health needs after fleeing danger, violence, persecution, or disasters in their homelands; many more have experienced additional trauma and exhaustion while traveling for days, months, or years to the border.
Immigration policies at the US border at a bare minimum must respect basic human rights and ensure that further trauma and harm are not inflicted on those seeking asylum. This policy does not meet those minimums.
