“As the Biden administration ends the illegal Title 42 policy and restores compliance with refugee law, it should not jail asylum-seekers who it processes into the United States
The report noted that the fact of being jailed, coupled with the lack of guaranteed access to a lawyer, greatly diminishes an asylum-seeker’s ability to meaningfully access the legal system to present their case.
“an asylum seeker thrown into solitary confinement, without clothing, after a suicide attempt, and denied access to a shower, toilet paper, and a toothbrush for 21 days;
I chose these three quotes, because for someone who is not as involved in politics--I had no idea this was going on. I didn’t think Biden was the perfect president--I don’t really expect that from anyone, but from what I’ve read, he seems to be handling refugees in a similar manner as Trump. Biden has done some great things, but the fact that I am not seeing more headlines about this is outlandish to say the least. What these refugees are experiencing is not only inhumane, but a direct contribution to the mass incarceration of minorities across the world. There are people imprisoned for way more heinous acts than these, being treated better than these refugees. Furthermore, the fact that children are being detained in not only traumatic, but also detrimental to their mental health, which, I’m sure is why the article stated that it’s common to see many suicides while in confinement. Likewise, it is completely unnecessary to put refugees in solitary confinement. What world are we living in that this becomes necessary? Why are the people with the highest authority, being able to treat human beings like animals?
Above all, I chose this article and these quotes because I felt the least informed about them and because of the personal connection I have to them. A few months ago, I studied abroad in Paris, and the majority of the girls on the trip were Hispanic. I ended up getting really close to one over the duration of the trip, and we talked in depth about why she was already married, and in college. I thought it was insane at first until she finally told me that she and her husband's families knew each other. They were actually friends growing up, but this was the only way for her husband to stay in America legally, so they got married at 18 years old. She then continued to tell me that she woke up one morning late for school, and ran out to the bus stop--generally she said goodbye to her parents first, but not that day. When she returned to school she found out her father had been detained by ICE and was sent to be deported. Not only was this extremely traumatizing for her to experience in high school, but it was also the reason her father traveled to Paris from Italy, to go see her. This experience allowed me to gain a better understanding of what systemic oppression looks like from a Hispanic standpoint, but also understand that that is a fear I will never have to experience. I get to decide who I want to marry when I’m ready and know that my parents can’t be deported to some foreign country while I’m in class.
Devereaux, R. (2022, April 21). Joe Biden detained tens of thousands of asylum-seekers in the last year. The Intercept. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://theintercept.com/2022/04/21/joe-biden-immigration-detention-asylum/
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