Warning Issued Over Potential Spike in Deaths at Southern U.S. Border Following Biden's Policies

Following the measures approved by U.S. President Joe Biden that prevent irregular migrants from receiving asylum in the United States after crossing the border illegally, and the collapse of the CBP One mobile app, members of the U.S. Border Patrol fear an increase in the number of people attempting to cross through more dangerous migratory routes, where some unfortunately face fatal consequences.

Daniel Medrano, chief of the Sunland Park Fire Department, a small town surrounded by desert and mountains that serve as a natural border with Mexico, warned that summer is the busiest season for them, as reported by EFE and cited by Forbes. "This doesn’t stop and we still have four more months," the official indicated, alerting of the rise in illegal crossings through the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rescuers assist migrants who, when attempting to traverse the hostile terrain, stop their journey and are abandoned by human traffickers, known as coyotes. "Most of the people we attend to are in very bad shape," he pointed out. In the worst cases, they find a lifeless body.

According to EFE, more and more people are being treated for emergencies or dying in the border area, heavily impacted by the high temperatures recorded during this period. Over the past four years and extending beyond the region, "the number of migrants dying or requiring emergency attention along the entire southern border continues to rise," he noted. However, he warned that "the new asylum restrictions enacted by the Biden Administration could exacerbate this situation."

The figures are telling. The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported in 2022, the last year for which data is available, that 895 migrant bodies were found in the border area. This figure is the highest since 1998, representing a 200% increase compared to 2020, when 254 deaths were recorded.

"Similarly, in 2022, there were more than 7,112 migrant-related emergencies at the border, while in 2020, this figure was 1,196," EFE indicated.

Claudio Herrera, a Border Patrol agent, stated that "the reality is that it is not a safe passage; it can turn into a nightmare," referring to the trend of coyotes using more rugged routes with the promise of bringing migrants to U.S. soil. However, activists and experts argue that it is the policies of the Biden Administration that force migrants to take these risky paths and rely on coyotes.

Edith Tapia, an expert from the International Rescue Committee, pointed to new immigration restrictions as one of the culprits, as they prohibit most people detained for crossing irregularly from seeking asylum. She noted that previously, individuals migrating from countries like Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua would surrender to authorities and request asylum upon crossing the border.

The new changes compel people to attempt to sneak through more dangerous routes, where water is scarce, exposing themselves to heatstroke, added Fernando García from the Border Network for Human Rights.

The situation is further worsened by the failures of the CBP One application. Last May, the U.S. government acknowledged that issues with this platform prevented dozens of migrants from confirming asylum interview appointments at the Mexican border.

Journalist Daniel Benítez reported on Facebook that since Tuesday, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Mexican migrants have complained that the platform does not allow them to confirm their asylum appointments, prompting them to request a response from the U.S. government.