Migrants’ attempts to cross the “Rio Grande” river from Mexico towards the United States of America continue with the imminent end of Article 42, which was applied by the US authorities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and which allowed the immediate deportation of asylum seekers.
Migrants’ attempts to cross the “Rio Grande” river from Mexico towards the United States of America continue with the imminent end of Article 42, which was implemented by the US authorities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and which allowed the immediate deportation of illegal immigrants.
The administration of former US President Donald Trump used Article 42 to bypass immigration law that allows people to seek asylum after entering the United States illegally.
The article allowed immigrants to be returned across the border on the grounds that detaining them in federal facilities would create more health risks during a pandemic.
Since its introduction in 2020, US Customs and Border Protection has deported more than 1 million immigrants.
Article 42 expires at the end of this week, as Washington seeks to rely on restricting attempts to cross illegal borders through new legal pathways.
Asylum seekers will have to submit their claims before crossing the border and online through a special application developed by the US government.
Applicants must also find sponsors in the United States and pass background checks.
The new measures will allow only those who have a “real fear” of persecution in their home countries to remain in the US until a final decision is made on their asylum claims.
A migrant from El Salvador, who arrived at the US border, said he preferred to follow the new immigration rules in the hope that his asylum application would be accepted in the US.
“No one wants to be sent back to their country, so we do the procedure in the best way we can, we abide by the laws and use the apps they made available,” added migrant Danilo Ruiz.
The attempts of the US authorities to restrict immigration are seen as a regression in the position of President Joe Biden, who previously pledged to implement Article 42 and his voters thought that this would open the way for asylum applications to be submitted after immigrants entered the United States illegally.
