Photo by Sergio Ortíz Borbolla

Dear John,

Migration at the U.S.-Mexico border has dropped to its lowest point of the Biden administration, driven by a crackdown in Mexico and new asylum restrictions. However, this lull may be temporary, as the reasons people are forced to migrate haven’t changed. Migration through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama has also decreased, but Venezuela’s ongoing democratic and human rights crisis could soon reverse that trend.

WOLA, along with 25 organizations throughout the region, has condemned the systematic repression by the Maduro government against peaceful protesters and human rights defenders, which has led to over 1,300 arbitrary detentions and more than 25 reported deaths. We are committed to informing about what’s happening and advocating for human rights defenders amid this violent wave of repression following Nicolás Maduro’s dubious claim of victory in the July 28 elections.

In this week’s Border Update, we also explore the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign’s messages on border and migration policies and the latest developments in Texas, where the hardline governor’s intensified actions against migrants are raising serious legal and humanitarian concerns.

Be sure to catch our new video updates every Wednesday, where we highlight one key thing you need to know about migration, and don’t miss our weekly border updates every Friday.

Kind regards,

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

For human rights activists across Latin America right now, the stakes are high. Violence around elections is on the rise, as are threats against those who speak in favor of justice and accountability.

Your support of WOLA creates space to amplify the voices of those who put their life on the line to champion human rights; from Caracas, to San Salvador, and everywhere in between.

As we wrap up the summer semester, WOLA is deeply thankful for the incredible dedication and hard work of our interns over the past few months. Here's a video from Jocelyn Vasquez-Tax, our Mexico and Defense Oversight Intern for Summer 2024, sharing her reflections on the experience.

"I have been documenting human rights violations in Venezuela for many years and have seen patterns of repression before (...) I don’t think I have ever seen this ferocity." 

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval

President

– The New York Times, ‘Operation Knock-Knock’: Venezuela Sweeps Up Dissenters After Disputed Vote

“Edni’s case is emblematic of what’s new about the repression that we’re seeing in post-election Venezuela. Usually in the past, the regime was hiding its illegitimate detentions under a veneer of legality, going through legal proceedings and allowing access to defense attorneys, for example. Now, even basic habeas corpus rights are being routinely violated.”

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

– The Guardian, '‘A climate of terror’: Maduro cracks down on Venezuelans protesting contested election win

"If a new U.S. administration wants to advance on the commitments made through the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, it must also reopen access to asylum at the border. This is necessary to have the moral standing to call on other governments to collaborate on rights-respecting migration management, to reduce the profits and empowerment of organized crime in Mexico and, most importantly, to protect vulnerable families and individuals.”

Stephanie Brewer

Director for Mexico

– Latin America Advisor, How Would Harris Shape U.S.-Latin America Relations?

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