The Hope Border Institute (HOPE), in collaboration with the UTEP Chicano Studies, Languages and Linguistics Department, hosted “Elections and Migration: Challenges, Opportunities, and Hope” on October 17.
The event invited students and community members to discuss dangerous immigration policies and community resistance to them.
HOPE policy analyst Amy Santillan discussed the Securing the Border Proclamation signed by President Biden, which went into effect on June 5th. The proclamation suspends and restricts the entry of immigrants through the U.S.-Mexico border, except for those with legal authorization or permits. Must meet certain standards.
“Elections and Immigration: Challenges, Opportunities, and Hope,” hosted by Hope Border Institute and UTEP, engaged students and the community in discussions about dangerous immigration policies and local resistance.
Santillan explained that this restricts access to the U.S. mainland and raises eligibility criteria, making it harder for immigrants to apply for asylum.
As a result, demand for asylum applications is higher than access, leaving many migrants stranded in Mexico while waiting months to more than a year for their first appointment with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer.
“Migrants are being exploited, kidnapped and trafficked in Mexico because of the lack of access,” Santillan said. “People can’t move quickly, which puts a lot of very vulnerable people in very dangerous situations. That creates challenges for our communities because a lot of people don’t realize it. Because they try to pass by without getting caught.”
Michael DeBruhl, director of the Sacred Heart Shelter and a former Border Patrol agent, said while the number of migrants has dropped from a peak of 14,000 per day to 17,000 to fewer than 400, the number of migrant deaths has declined. He pointed out that the number of deaths is increasing, with 175 reported in fiscal year 2024.
DeBarre said the number of migrant deaths is uncertain because many migrants are attempting to enter the United States in remote border areas and, if they die, may go undetected for years. There is.
Additionally, El Paso County, like 32 other counties along the 2,000-mile border, does not have a system to accurately count migrant deaths, so the number could be higher.
“There is no information to be given to the general community or the general public here in El Paso,” DeBarre said. “We don’t really know anything about what’s going on outside. We don’t know that 175 people have died in the last 12 months, so there’s no dialogue to discuss this issue, and that’s why , unable to respond effectively to this type of emergency.”
HOPE Executive Director Dylan Corbett gave the ID of Laura Morales, a Guatemalan woman he spotted on one of the desert walks, and invited the audience to join him on HOPE’s desert walks.
“We don’t know if Laura is dead or not,” Corbett said. “I don’t know if she was found, I don’t know if she was arrested, but I found her stuff in the desert and I have her ID in my wallet. It’s just a number. Because it can’t be. I think we need to be realistic with ourselves. [challenged by reality]to be influenced and influenced by the humanity of what is happening. ”
HOPE also has an “Every Death Counts” campaign. The campaign invites community members to join the lab and advocate for El Paso County Coroner’s Office policies to ensure better systems are in place and all deaths are counted.
“There should not be a blanket death sentence,” Corbett said. “No matter what you think about politics, whether you’re on the right or left, whether you ignore strict immigration policies or think borders shouldn’t exist, crossing a border is a death sentence. It shouldn’t be a declaration.”
If you are interested, please apply to participate in the campaign training at the following URL: [email protected]
Ximena Cordero is a staff reporter. Contact details are as follows:[email protected].
