B Stands for Background

Good afternoon,

As the humanitarian crisis at the Southern border continues to make headlines – with more migrants expected to arrive in the coming months – it has become increasingly clear that this tragic situation will continue to repeat itself until we acknowledge and address the underlying factors that drive vulnerable migrants to make the dangerous journey to the United States. It has also become clear that border communities and local organizations are spearheading the response to date, and they need our support.  

First, let’s acknowledge the facts: an increase in migration at this time of year is common. Data from Customs and Border Protection shows a pattern where seasonal increases in border encounters typically start in February and slow down around June. Given COVID-19 and the onset of Title 42 health regulations disallowing most crossings, border apprehensions plummeted at the onset of the pandemic, but have slowly increased since April 2020. Thus, on top of seasonal patterns, the pandemic and Title 42 have yielded a pent-up demand at the border.

Additional push factors have contributed to the challenging situation at the border. Central America experienced two devastating hurricanes only two weeks apart last fall. USAID estimates that Hurricanes Eta and Iota impacted 5.2 million people in the region, causing severe damage to houses, infrastructure, and livelihoods. These natural disasters, combined with other complex factors like government corruption, poverty, violence, gang activity, and the pandemic economy have pushed many people to make the dangerous journey to the United States. In particular, the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have high rates of domestic violence and gang recruitment of minors, leading many parents to make the desperate choice to send their children to the U.S. unaccompanied to protect them from these harsh realities.

In response to these circumstances, border communities have stepped up their efforts to assist vulnerable migrants in need. Zorros del Desierto (Desert Foxes), helps stranded and injured migrants in Juarez who have been abandoned by smugglers in high-crime areas. Mission: Border Hope, in Eagle Pass, TX, provides showers, food, and safe housing to about 50 people a day. In Yuma, AZ, the Regional Center for Border Health has received help from local communities and churches to provide COVID tests to migrants. Organizations like Bethany Christian Services provide shelters and support foster families caring for unaccompanied minors. Many more faith-based organizations (like Abara Frontiers in El Paso and the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, AZ) and others along the border are caring for migrants in beautiful ways.

These communities and organizations need financial support, but they also need solutions that ameliorate root causes of migration in Central America, address the backlog of asylum claims, safeguard the wellbeing of both Americans and migrants in the borderlands, and provide an orderly and fair immigration system. It is up to members of Congress and the Biden administration to find a path forward and pass bipartisan reforms to remedy our outdated immigration system.

Stay healthy and hopeful,

Adam

P.S. In case you missed it, last week the Council on National Security and Immigration and the Forum convened a roundtable of experts to discuss solutions to the situation at the southern border. Check out that video here.

P.P.S. Our friends at Women of Welcome and Bethany Christian Services hosted a very informative video yesterday on what’s happening at the border and how people of faith can get involved. Highly recommended viewing!

Adam Estle
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum 

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