#asylee

The Border Crisis is real:

This CNN article concerns me greatly, I help organize case management for the asylee community and this community has changed dramatically over this summer. Initially we received a community of Hispanic migrants, many young families in search of opportunities, coming from economically devastated countries like Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Now they have been replaced by a huge North African community of men who come from Mauritania, Senegal, and Algeria. They too are in search of opportunities but we have not been able to gauge as well what it is they hope to achieve here.

This article highlighted a grave concern that we must take seriously, the border crisis is a national security crisis.

The episode sits squarely at the nexus of two of the thorniest and most politically fraught security challenges facing the Biden administration: terrorism and the border… Administration officials have also grappled with limited resources as they face a growing number of migrants at the US southern border. Migration patterns to the United States have changed dramatically in recent years, with people arriving to the United States from more than 150 countries – the result, officials say, of unprecedented mass migration around the world. 

This is not a theoretical issue for me. I am responding to this crisis at a local level in NYC and so these are real people and the security concerns, both for these migrants and for the city, are very real issues indeed. I have a sense that human smuggling is very much part of this crisis. The smugglers may not be present but their cargo is now here with us. Whereas the Hispanic community are more interested in jobs and resources for their children the North African community seem more interested in clothing and gift cards (although to be fair everyone wants gift cards). Soon we will have more intensive case management and this will allow us to understand their situation better.

But in the meantime I am making this appeal. For a long time I have advocated for comprehensive immigration reform. I think a political candidate that cares for the future of this country will need to have the courage to respond to this issue. I am not talking about just the presidential candidate, I am referring to every congressional politician. We should know their thoughts about this issue and how they propose to respond to this crisis. Not with empty values and ad hominem attacks on other candidates, but with a real response to this issue.

Comprehensive immigration reform means that we must allocate money and resources to evaluate the needs and causes of migrants to this country and the economic and social needs we have for this community. Immigrants have much to contribute to us, and our policy should support this. Nevertheless, we must also recognize the need to promote a humane national security policy that protects us all. It needs to protect them from the abuse of human traffiking and forced labor, and it needs to protect us from threats of terrorism.

And yes, I have some thoughts on this. Immigration regulation needs to have a regional response. In this case, we need to consider a North American response to this issue. Since the migrants are coming over the border we need to be strategic about this by promoting the social and economic development of our southern neighbor (Mexico and Guatemala) in order to completely eradicate the human smuggling ring there and promote a secure process to assess and evaluate incoming migrants. If a North American partnership could promote the economic development of our southern neighbors, then perhaps this could provide broader opportunities for migrants beyond our American cities. In responding to the full gamut of economic needs, we should develop smart work visas that respond to these needs. We should process these migrants so we can regulate and track them while being attentive in integrating them into the fabric of our culture and society. This means good and thorough citizenship classes that share our American wisdom and values.

The Asylee situation continues: A situation that cries out to the ongoing reality of Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, Cuba and Central America.

Recently I offered a couple of post on the situation in Venezuela which is where the majority of the current asylees are coming from. As the situation continues to affect us here in New York City, Currents News has documented further insights into the reality of this community as the feel forced to leave the violence of these places they are leaving.

This news story, along with an even more in depth analysis by NPR, tells us how this community finds themselves in limbo here in the United States and Mexico. The fact is that this is a very difficult and complicated situation with no easy solution presenting itself, but in the present reality the situation is nothing less than a humanitarian crisis.

This immigration purgatory – legally present, but unable to work lawfully – is where many Venezuelan migrants now find themselves. Hundreds of thousands have been released into the U.S. with a notice to appear in immigration court, or instructions to check in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they get to their destinations.

With the assistance of Catholic Migration Services we are informing this community of the incredible challenge they are facing with their status and the few possible legal options that they may have while they are here. We do not candy coat the reality of their legal status but as a Catholic organization we also must do what we can to offer them hopeful possibilities. Possibilities that do exist within a very limited legal process.

The hope that we offer them includes our friendly presence along with any resources we can offer to meet their social needs. Catholic Charities and our partnering Churches are doing an amazing job in addressing the needs of this community. We feel the appreciation from this ever growing community but we also feel how desperate the situation is for so many of them. Thanks to the leadership of amazing Pastors like Fr. Mason (seen below), Fr. Gutierrez, Fr. Sanchez, and Fr. Vassalotti many Brooklyn and Queens parishes are doing stellar work in responding to this community.

What is happening in Venezuela? 

The above story from the Tablet shows how our Catholic schools are also responding to the situation of predominantly Venezuelan asylee seekers coming into New York City. The story of Venezuelan refugee Iraima Ramirez gives us a snapshot of the situation in Venezuela that is perpetuating the current immigration influx. Here is her story to the Brooklyn Tablet article: Salve Regina Catholic Academy Greets Migrant Family With Open Arms. In it she offers her own description of the situation.  

“The instability in my country has made it impossible for a professional like myself to be able to offer basic living conditions for my family,” said Ramirez, who was an elementary school teacher in Venezuela.

“The dictatorship in Venezuela has gotten to a point of lawlessness, and that state is making it so that many individuals have to make the decision to abandon everything they have and everything they know and risk their lives to try and find something better in the United States,” she said, speaking through an interpreter.

Iraima’s description is shared by millions who are fleeing the terrible socio-economic conditions and the politically repressive landscape in Venezuela that is causing these unlivable conditions. This was recently profiled in a CBS article that provides a deeper analysis on the Venezuelan crisis.

Venezuela has one of the world's highest inflation rates and about three-quarters of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, an international standard for extreme poverty. The monthly minimum wage, paid in bolivars despite a dollar-driven economy, is the equivalent of $15. Many lack access to clean, running water and electricity.  

The UN Refugee Agency says people continue to leave Venezuela to escape violence, insecurity and threats as well as lack of food, medicine and essential services.

An important thing to keep in mind is that these people are not undocumented immigrants, they are asylee seekers. They have been processed by Homeland Security and they have documents regarding their current status. The stories we hear from this community is amazing to take in. I recently shared a post where we shared some of these harrowing stories. The situation they find themselves and the struggles they overcame to search for hope. We at Catholic Charities are encountering this community every day at our office and now also at several of our parishes. In whatever capacity we can respond to their current situation we will continue to do so.

Yet beyond what we can do as a local charitable organization this situation necessitates a cohesive refugee resettlement policy here in the United States. An analysis provided by the Brookings Institute makes the case for such a policy. 

Years of political repression, violence, and economic insecurity in Venezuela have come to head to create the second largest external displacement crisis in the world with 6.8 million displaced — just behind Ukraine. However, the government has allocated just 15,000 spots for the upcoming fiscal year to refugee resettlement from all of Latin America and the Caribbean.

As a staff member of Catholic Charities in Brooklyn and Queens I have had the opportunity to help serve the incoming asylee community that has been coming to New York City. Utilizing some of our Churches and offices I have gone out with other staff to visit with this community to offer them information and resources. Recently I had the privilege to sit down and hear some of their amazing stories. Most of these migrants are coming from Venezuela, I would say that the vast majority are from this troubled nation. A small minority also come from Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba and Haiti. When we have the opportunity we provide them with the most basic resources including clothes that have been donated to us from neighboring parishes and Catholic associations and groups.

In sharing their story they tell me about the four to ten day journey they have to go through the jungle which they all say was a very treacherous stretch as they cross into Panama. Then they go through Central America, but its in Guatemala and Mexico that this community faces a grave challenge. Three gentlemen from Venezuela shared with me some details of their journey and as they did so they showed me a video they captured from their cell phone where they were riding the famous Bestia, the Beast. This is the famous train that takes them through central Mexico. In the video you saw them crouched in between two cars as they clung on the train during a bumpy ride. For the younger men I could see that for them this was an adventure, but for the middle aged man who journeyed with them you could see that this was less so.

In 2014 I posted on a powerful movie that captured this journey from Honduras through Mexico and into the deserts of Arizona where migrants are often found dead. The first post, Migrants are Heroes, and the second post, A Migrant's Prayer, were two reflections that I had from this movie which was called "Who is Dayani Crystal."

As it was 2014 this movie continues to offer a powerful insight into the reality of this journey and the reasons for this. I urge anyone who is interested in understanding this issue to watch this documentary. If you have the opportunity to serve this community get to hear their stories and see for yourself why they come and what they go through to get here.

As I hear their stories no there were three parts of their journey that really has struck me.

As I already mentioned, this community is coming from South America rather than Central America (in 2014 the vast majority of the immigrants were from Central America) so their journey goes through the dense jungle between Colombia and Panama. They call it, El Darien, which is a jungle with a river that becomes an extremely difficult region to cross especially when the harsh seasonal rains come, and unfortunately this is the rainy season. Based on the weather asylees can take four to ten days crossing this landscape. They tell me that along the way they find decomposed bodies of other migrants who were not as lucky. This is just a reality for them as they cross into Central America. I hear from many of them how treacherous this part of the journey is.

Mexico is dangerous. One man went into detail on how our politics has shifted their experience in Mexico. Once they get to the border with the United States they used to be able to count on the assistance of the Coyotes (folks who charge migrants and assist them in crossing the border). In the Dayani Crystal movie you see how Coyotes would, for a fee, assist the migrants in getting them to part of the border where they have the greatest chance to cross over. The situation is different today. Because migrants are able to go through an asylee process once they cross they do not need these Coyotes to help out. So the Coyotes have changed their business model and instead of serving the migrants they now serve the Mexican local government who look to see how they can charge these migrants and take financial advantage of them. The Coyotes take these migrants and "accidently" loss their documents and then report them to the local authorities who will either scare these migrants into paying for their lost documents or deport them to the south of Mexico where they will have to start the journey again. Because of this and because this corruption are in towns that have a strong narcotrafficking area certain areas that were famous for crossing are sometimes avoided.

I was told that not all the Mexican communities are hostile to these immigrants. But what stand out to many of them is the role of the Catholic Church in serving them. They have talked of basic services that some parish communities provide but there are even well developed or developing organizational agencies that are founded by the Catholic Church that offers various resources to this community. Beyond being supplied with basic needs these Church stations along the way also provide information and guidance so that the asylees not fall victim to the gangs of narco-traffickers and corrupt coyotes or municipal officials. It is heartwarming to hear how our Catholic Church is experienced as a place of sanctuary and hope for this community. It is equally heartwarming to see that we can provide that consistent experience to this community here in the United States.

It is humbling to be a part of this community's journey and to share in the pilgrimage they have done up to now. I remind them that their journey is not over. Their situation continues to be perilous and they must continue to take care as there are those here who would also take advantage of their vulnerable status.

For our part we are focused on helping this community and helping them with finding whatever resources the community is providing through the Asylee Seeker Navigation Center.

As I close this reflection on the asylees we have met and serve I want to again repost the migrant prayer that Gael Garcia Bernal shared with us in the documentary above. It is a beautiful prayer that speaks to the solidarity that they have with God and the solidarity we are also called to have with them. May this prayer be one that we all pray as we recognize that we are all pilgrims here on earth and perhaps we can recognize that the asylee's pilgrimage are social indications of issues that we need to face and take responsibility for.

The journey towards you, Lord, is life. To set off… is to die a little. To arrive is never to arrive until one is at rest with you. You, Lord, experienced migration. You brought it upon all men who know what it is to live who seek safe passage to the gates of heaven. You drove Abraham from his land, father of all believers. You shall remember the paths leading to you, the prophets and the apostles. You yourself became a migrant from heaven to earth.

May we continue to provide whatever assistance we can to these pilgrims as they try to find a new hope from the social and political unrest they leave behind.

From Honduras to the United States, Manuel de Jesus Isasi Hernandez has always created meaning from the materials at hand.

As a 12-year-old in Honduras, he started building and selling furniture to help support his mother. After he fled Honduras to escape violence, art followed him to Mexico, where he lived for two years, painted murals and took tattoo classes.

In 2018, Isasi crossed the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum and landed in immigration detention. There, he created handmade rosaries created out of plastic bags as gifts for fellow migrants.