Thousands of Migrants Face Uncertainty and Long Waits at Mexico-US Border
Every day, thousands of migrants on the Mexico-United States border are seeking to occupy one of the 1,450 chosen positions in the CBP One system to file a political asylum case. However, the process of waiting for an appointment in the system has been marred by long delays and uncertainty.
Luis Miranda, Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Communications of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), offered statements about the appointment system, stating that the system seeks to expedite access to appointments at the eight ports of entry while preventing dangerous practices. However, due to high demand, there is no guarantee of a quick appointment.
The average delay for an appointment is currently at eight weeks, or 60 days, but this time can vary significantly. To access the system, migrants interested in requesting asylum must be located in central and northern Mexico.
The DHS has implemented the appointment system as a solution to prevent migrants from turning to cartels or criminal groups to cross the border. At the port of entry, Customs and Border Protection officers evaluate each case, but not all migrants are granted entry into the United States.
The wait and uncertainty caused by the system have had a strong impact on migrants, who have accepted the process in order to flee risky and precarious situations in their countries of origin. However, during their wait in Mexico, they also do not have access to a job and often do not have legal status in that territory.
The situation on the United States border continues to be a topic of discussion among politicians in Washington, as the demand for asylum appointments continues to grow, with the supply unable to meet the needs of the migrants. The system, while seeking to bring order and security, has left many migrants in limbo as they navigate their way through the process.