EL PASO, (KTSM) – President Joe Biden’s executive order to shut off the U.S.-Mexico border between ports of entry to migrants who are seeking asylum without an appointment went into effect on Wednesday, June 5.
The order to shut down asylum requests would go into effect if the average daily migrant encounters exceed 2,500 per day, which they currently do, according to multiple reports.
Migrants still have the option of requesting asylum by scheduling an appointment at a port of entry using the CBP One App.
Word of the president’s decision has reached migrants who have already crossed the border and are currently in the streets of El Paso.
KTSM spoke with migrants who are receiving shelter at the Sacred-Heart Church in South-Central El Paso, and they ultimately worry for friends and family who are still making the trip north.
They also said the legal process to seek asylum by scheduling an appointment through the CBP One App is flawed and takes too long.
They explained that many cannot afford to wait as they’re running out of money, and are exposed to the dangers of organized crime in Mexico.
A Mexican migrant from the state of Oaxaca who did not want to be identified, crossed the border by scheduling an appointment through the CBP One App.
She said she has friends on the Juarez side of the border who are still waiting for their appointment, and that the president’s order will complicate the situation for many families, but believes they’ll remain persistent.
“With the executive order, migrants are going to be more determined on getting an appointment,” she said. “I would tell them to be patient because this is roulette. Some get their appointment fairly quickly, and for others it takes months.”
“There’s still many people on the way who want that opportunity to better their life,” said a Venezuelan migrant who did not want to be identified. “At the end of the day, everyone’s going to find a way to get here with or without an appointment. Yes, we’re not happy that they shut down the border but it is a decision we must respect because it was made by important people.”
Another Venezuelan migrant who did not want to be identified said migrants will continue to arrive despite Biden’s executive order.
“It’s the same if you close the border for two months. Thousands will gather during that time and when they decide to open it, thousands will end up crossing in a day,” he said.
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