This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/04/us-authorities-begin-deportations-of-central-american-asylum-seekers
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US authorities begin deportations of Central American asylum seekers | US authorities begin deportations of Central American asylum seekers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Department of Homeland Security began a divisive push over the weekend to find and deport Central American immigrants who sought legal asylum in the United States but were ordered to leave the country, according to immigration rights advocates. | The Department of Homeland Security began a divisive push over the weekend to find and deport Central American immigrants who sought legal asylum in the United States but were ordered to leave the country, according to immigration rights advocates. |
| Related: Almost 5,000 unaccompanied minors caught at US-Mexico border last month | Related: Almost 5,000 unaccompanied minors caught at US-Mexico border last month |
| At least 11 families in Georgia and Texas were detained on Saturday, the start of a campaign aimed at hundreds of families that amounts to the first large-scale effort to deport people who fled violence from drug wars in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize. | At least 11 families in Georgia and Texas were detained on Saturday, the start of a campaign aimed at hundreds of families that amounts to the first large-scale effort to deport people who fled violence from drug wars in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize. |
| “The repatriation of individuals with final orders for removal – including families and unaccompanied minors – to their home countries is part of our broader effort to address the rising surge of families and individuals arriving at our southern border,” said a homeland security official who was not permitted to speak on the record. | “The repatriation of individuals with final orders for removal – including families and unaccompanied minors – to their home countries is part of our broader effort to address the rising surge of families and individuals arriving at our southern border,” said a homeland security official who was not permitted to speak on the record. |
| On Saturday in Norcross, Georgia, ICE agents arrived at the home of Joanna Gutierrez, according to the Los Angeles Times. The agents reportedly arrived in an unmarked car and presented Gutierrez with a warrant for a man she didn’t know. Gutierrez told them to stay outside, but the agents went in anyway. They searched the house before revealing that they were looking for Ana Lizet-Mejía, Gutierrez’s niece, and her niece’s nine-year-old son. Gutierrez told the Times that the two were taken into custody. | On Saturday in Norcross, Georgia, ICE agents arrived at the home of Joanna Gutierrez, according to the Los Angeles Times. The agents reportedly arrived in an unmarked car and presented Gutierrez with a warrant for a man she didn’t know. Gutierrez told them to stay outside, but the agents went in anyway. They searched the house before revealing that they were looking for Ana Lizet-Mejía, Gutierrez’s niece, and her niece’s nine-year-old son. Gutierrez told the Times that the two were taken into custody. |
| Lizet-Mejía, who recently received a court order to leave the US after her asylum request was rejected, fled Honduras with her son after her brother was murdered by gang members. The mother and child were among the many so-called “drug war refugees” from Central America, including children who make the harrowing journey on their own. In the 2015 fiscal year, more than 100,000 people from Central America were caught crossing into the United States illegally. | Lizet-Mejía, who recently received a court order to leave the US after her asylum request was rejected, fled Honduras with her son after her brother was murdered by gang members. The mother and child were among the many so-called “drug war refugees” from Central America, including children who make the harrowing journey on their own. In the 2015 fiscal year, more than 100,000 people from Central America were caught crossing into the United States illegally. |
| Matthew Bourke, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that the new deportation push was intended to “further deter individuals from undertaking the journey”. | Matthew Bourke, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that the new deportation push was intended to “further deter individuals from undertaking the journey”. |
| He added that the United States was exploring options to give Central Americans expanded access to its refugee admissions program. “We aim to ensure that there are safe, lawful and orderly options available,” Bourke said. | He added that the United States was exploring options to give Central Americans expanded access to its refugee admissions program. “We aim to ensure that there are safe, lawful and orderly options available,” Bourke said. |
| When the plans for a large-scale deportation effort were initially reported by the Washington Post in late December, immigrant rights groups such as America’s Voice released statements condemning the Obama administration, calling it “appalling” and “shameful” that refugees would be sent back to “places where rape, sexual abuse and murder are commonplace”. | When the plans for a large-scale deportation effort were initially reported by the Washington Post in late December, immigrant rights groups such as America’s Voice released statements condemning the Obama administration, calling it “appalling” and “shameful” that refugees would be sent back to “places where rape, sexual abuse and murder are commonplace”. |
| “Most disturbingly,” a statement from America’s Voice read, “the plan raises the ugly specter of the very mass roundups and deportation advocated by several candidates running for the GOP presidential nomination – most notably Donald Trump.” | “Most disturbingly,” a statement from America’s Voice read, “the plan raises the ugly specter of the very mass roundups and deportation advocated by several candidates running for the GOP presidential nomination – most notably Donald Trump.” |
| As drug violence has surged, the number of asylum requests from Mexican and Central American immigrants has increased dramatically. Yet advocacy groups say there aren’t enough pro-bono immigration lawyers to support the population, resulting in many cases being rejected, even when circumstances merit a legal stay. | As drug violence has surged, the number of asylum requests from Mexican and Central American immigrants has increased dramatically. Yet advocacy groups say there aren’t enough pro-bono immigration lawyers to support the population, resulting in many cases being rejected, even when circumstances merit a legal stay. |
| Homeland Security said it was specifically targeting adults and children ordered to leave the US by an immigration judge. But advocacy groups dispute whether that order is actually being followed on the ground. | Homeland Security said it was specifically targeting adults and children ordered to leave the US by an immigration judge. But advocacy groups dispute whether that order is actually being followed on the ground. |
| “We’ve heard testimonies of agents asking other people in the home for immigration papers and even taking children into custody,” Tania Unzueta, an activist from #Not1More Deportation, said on Sunday. “It seems like a tactic that is designed to cause fear, intimidate and make some sort of political point.” | “We’ve heard testimonies of agents asking other people in the home for immigration papers and even taking children into custody,” Tania Unzueta, an activist from #Not1More Deportation, said on Sunday. “It seems like a tactic that is designed to cause fear, intimidate and make some sort of political point.” |
| Unzueta said that the raids were “nothing new”, but noted that in recent years ICE had targeted only those with criminal records. The fact that children and families were now being sought was inspiring some in the immigrant rights community to express frustrations with their traditional allies in the Democratic party. | |
| CASA, the largest immigrant rights group in the mid-Atlantic, tweeted last week: “You’re on notice!!” to the Democratic National Committee with a picture of a man holding a sign that read: “You want my voto? Say NO to deportations.” | |
| Last week, the Miami Herald reported, a Honduran woman who had recently illegally crossed the border with her husband and children, spoke at a press conference held by activists. “I beg President Obama to put his hand over his heart and not do this,” she said, “for the sake of the children.” | Last week, the Miami Herald reported, a Honduran woman who had recently illegally crossed the border with her husband and children, spoke at a press conference held by activists. “I beg President Obama to put his hand over his heart and not do this,” she said, “for the sake of the children.” |