The Senate Passed the Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act
The Senate, in a rare moment of unanimous agreement, passed a humanitarian bill now signed into law that will provide funding and resources to be able to better locate and rescue migrants on their dangerous trek through the desert as well as identify remains for those who tragically do not survive the journey. Congressmen Gonzalez, who introduced the bill, pointed out that whereas this bill is an overdue start, “unless we invest time and resources to address the root causes of migration from Central America, we will continue to witness these tragic deaths in our border region.”
A Report Reveals the ‘Humanitarian Disgrace’ on the U.S.-Mexico Border
A Human Rights First report, which included anonymous examples from migrants at KBI, reveals that 1,300 asylum seekers have been raped, assaulted, or kidnapped while being subjected to wait in Mexico for their U.S. asylum hearings. Kennji Kizuka, a researcher with Human Rights First says: “Continuing to turn away and expel people seeking U.S. refugee protection at the southern border is both a humanitarian disgrace and a legal travesty.”
Recent Anti-Asylum Rules Blocked by a Federal Judge
President Trump and Stephen Miller’s most recent anti-asylum rules were blocked by a federal judge. These rules, which were set to take effect just days before inauguration, would have completely decimated the asylum system. In essence, it would have narrowed the definition of persecution to one so specific and unobtainable, that many fleeing legitimate harm wouldn’t even qualify to have their case heard before a judge. Asylum seekers who would have been the most affected would have been Central American’s fleeing gang violence and women and LBGTQ migrants fleeing gender-based violence.
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