WINK NEWS
President Joe Biden has announced a new plan to curb illegal border crossings. Just weeks ago, the Supreme Court decided to extend the COVID-19 Title 42 policy. It is an expansion of a policy the president rolled out in the fall for Venezuelan asylum seekers.
Now, the US will accept 30,000 people a month from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua, but there is a catch.
Images of migrants crossing creeks, sleeping on sidewalks, and standing in the cold are all over the news.
“Recently, we had a story of someone from Venezuela, who, you know, had left her country because of the obvious conditions over there,” said Daniel Funes, owner of Funes Law Group.
Immigration attorney Funes hears these stories daily. He told WINK News about a woman who crossed a Central American jungle and through the desert just to get to the border. Her dream and hope for a better life were dashed by border patrol.
“She was bounced away, you know, this is because Title 42,” said Funes.
“In fact, the previous administration used the rule called Title 42. To deal with the pandemic, rapidly to rapidly expel people who crossed the border,” said President Biden.
Biden made it clear on Thursday that he doesn’t like Title 42.
It’s the law. So, for now, his administration will immediately turn away Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans who unlawfully cross the southern border.
If they want to come legally, they can. They can download an app to schedule an appointment at a port of entry and make an asylum claim or find a sponsor to get them to the border and undergo a rigorous background check.
Funes said the problem with every policy change is getting the word out to migrants. “We have to be continuously educating ourselves with the processes, eligibility criteria. And it’s not always easy even for us to find the resources. It’s very difficult to keep up with the changes.”
If anyone tries to cross without approval, they will be returned to Mexico and will be unable to try to come into the US again.
WINK NEWS