One of the most divisive issues currently effecting this country is domestic immigration and naturalization policies. Particularly issues faced by immigrants crossing the United States border closing by way of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, the United States plans to seal off the U.S-Mexico border to migrants under a law intended to protect the country from communicable disease — a move that comes as the U.S. immigration system grinds to a halt in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic. Following suit with April’s Canadian-United States border crossing for non-essential workers.
While such measures would help to better ensure pandemic safety protocol, such measures also act as a means for quicker deporting instances for asylum-seekers and other illegal migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border without due process.
Such developments on the northern and southern borders of the United States, also display other areas in which immigration is being curtailed in other ways, too. U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services, the agency responsible for processing green cards, citizenship applications, and asylum interviews, has closed its field offices to the public due to the Corona Virus pandemic.
Immigrants fighting deportation will likely have their cases postponed as immigration courts face limiting dockets during such closings. Refugee resettlement is temporarily closed as well.
Immigrant advocates accuse the current administration of exploiting the pandemic to promote the crackdown on asylum-seekers. The pandemic is also a rallying cry for immigrant advocates. Fearing for the safety of detained immigrants housed in close confines, those at high risk for severe complications from COVID-19, due to the before-mentioned court and bureaucratic office closings. As in immigration detention, there’s no way to create and perpetuate social distancing.
Coupled with inadequate medical care nor access to Covid-19 testing kits for the 37,000 immigrants in ICE detention centers, and staff well-versed in epidemiology to ensure social distancing. A health crisis could also affect local medical facilities and hospitals.
Despite this grim reality, it’s important to become knowledgeable with resources designed to aid asylum-seekers and illegal detainees alike. As well as utilizing the expertise of asylum-experts, like Jean Danhong Chen.
Friends, are you or someone you know currently dealing with complications related to Issues immigrants are having with the US borders closing during the Covid-19 pandemic? Leave your thoughts below.
