As the countdown to a significant shift in US immigration policy and an anticipated increase in migrants at the southern border continues, those already waiting to enter from Mexico are becoming increasingly desperate.
Under the scorching sun, hundreds of individuals stand in a barren and dusty wasteland, waiting. Hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and frightened, they have gathered near the towering steel border fence that separates them from the United States. They can see glimpses of the place they have sacrificed so much to reach.
However, the uncertainty of whether they will be permitted to cross the border weighs heavily on their minds. Rosario Medina, in her tears, shares how she has resorted to searching through dumpsters to find food for her grandchildren. She even collects water from the polluted Rio Grande river to fill the babies’ bottles. Eight days of struggling to survive here have taken their toll, with the children’s lips blistering under the relentless sun.
To meet these individuals, I had to traverse the foul-smelling river and crawl through a small gap in the razor wire fence. It was then that I heard the harrowing tales of their treacherous journeys. MiLexi Gomez recounted her experience of traveling from Venezuela, braving unmarked jungles with her four young children, scaling mountains, and resorting to riding on top of trains when they couldn’t afford tickets. Now, they find themselves sleeping on the bare ground, and MiLexi fears that her twin boys’ colds could worsen into bronchitis.
“We are filled with desperation,” she says. “The cold keeps us awake at night. We lack the means to eat or wash. I ask God for guidance on how to protect my children in this place.”
These scenes are highly unprecedented. Normally, migrants seeking entry into the United States would be accommodated in shelters in downtown Juarez. However, the recent influx of people has overwhelmed the existing system. Even border officials with years of experience state that they have never witnessed such a situation before.
In my conversations with the migrants, most of them were aware that there would be changes in the US immigration policies this week. However, there was widespread misinformation and confusion regarding what these changes would mean for individuals like themselves.
Many among them believe that once Title 42, the Covid-era policy that facilitated the expulsion of migrants and asylum seekers back across the border, is lifted, it will become much easier to enter the US. This misconception has led to the gathering of such large numbers of people at the border.
Additionally, some migrants rushed to reach the border under the impression that they must make their entry attempts before midnight on Thursday, likely due to misinformation or rumors circulating among them.
Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright
