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Early on the morning of 24 June, around 2,000 asylum seekers and migrants many from Sudan and South Sudan attempted en masse to cross the border fence separating the Moroccan town of Nador from Spains North African exclave of Melilla.

Moroccan security forces responded by firing tear gas and wielding batons. According to government accounts, 23 asylum seekers and migrants were killed. Local human rights groups say the true toll may be as high as 37. Dozens more were injured.

Months later, many of the details of what transpired and how the deaths occurred remain contested. International human rights organisations, the African Union, and the UN have called for an independent investigation, while the incident has thrown a fresh spotlight on Moroccos role in broader EU efforts to try to curb migration.

[The violence] shouldnt surprise us, Judith Sunderland, associate director for Human Rights Watchs Europe and Central Asia division, told The New Humanitarian. It is almost as if the EU has accepted that violence is part of their toolbox when it comes to migration control.

Morocco is the only African country that shares a land border with the EU, at Melilla and at Spains other North African exclave, Ceuta. At the closest point across the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco is also only 13 kilometres away from Spain by sea. This proximity has led to Morocco being both a country of origin and transit for asylum seekers and migrants trying to reach the EU, with numbers ebbing and flowing over the years.

Following the 2015 migration crisis, as the EU acted to restrict the movement of people from Turkey and Libya the two main departure countries at the time towards Europe, arrivals from Morocco to Spain along what is known as the Western Mediterranean route spiked.

In 2018, more than 56,000 asylum seekers and migrants reached Spain via the Western Mediterranean route, making it themost activemigration route towards Europe that year. A further6,800crossed the countrys land borders in Melilla and Ceuta.

The EU responded by providing an aid package of 148 million euros to Morocco the vast majority of which went towards strengthening and supporting its ability to control its own borders. Arrivals on the Western Mediterranean route quickly dropped off, but starting in 2020, the route from Moroccos west coast to the Spanish Canary islands in the Atlantic Ocean became more active.

Read more Whats driving the deadly migrant surge from Senegal to the Canary Islands?

Moroccos contribution to managing irregular migration through the Atlantic/Western Mediterranean route is essential, a European Commission spokesperson told The New Humanitarian. The European Union wants to strengthen this partnership further.

With Morocco, the EU, and Spain all vowing to deepen their migration cooperation in the wake of the violence and deaths in Melilla, we take a look at some key questions:

The mass attempt by asylum seekers and migrants to cross the border into Melilla was not the first of its kind. On 17 and 18 April last year, an estimated 8,000 people including 2,000 minors swam or scaled the border fence to reach Spains other North African exclave, Ceuta.

Spanish soldiers and border guards responded by pushing people back across the border sometimes violently and rounding up and returning to Morocco the vast majority of those who managed to cross over. Meanwhile, Moroccan border guards were conspicuously absent from the other side of the border and at times appeared to assist people attempting to get across.

Spain and Morocco have had a stable relationship for years, and have coordinated closely with each other on border security since the 1990s although the extent to which Morocco prioritises restricting irregular migration is closely linked to external pressure and incentives from the EU and Spain.

A bilateral agreement signed between the two countries in 1992 allows Spain to request the readmission of people who have entered irregularly from Morocco. And Morocco has periodically cracked down on sub-Saharan asylum seekers and migrants in the country, including in 2018.

In April 2021, however, a diplomatic stand-off threatened this relationship when Spain allowed Brahim Ghali the leader of the Polisario Front, a Western Sahara independence movement to enter the country for COVID-19 treatment. Morocco annexed Western Sahara in 1975 after Spain withdrew as a colonial power, leading to a war with the Polisario Front that concluded in 1991 with a UN-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Until recently, much of the international community, including Spain, remained neutral in the conflict and backed UN efforts for a negotiated solution. Morocco saw Spains decision to extend medical treatment to Ghali as a breach of this neutrality and threatened repercussions. A month later, the mass crossing in Ceuta occurred.

In the aftermath of the crossings, Spain attempted to make concessions to the Moroccan government. But relations did not improve until the Spanish government publicly announced its support for Moroccos territorial claim over Western Sahara in March this year. An agreement that paved the way for strengthened migration cooperation between Morocco and Spain went into effect around the same time.

It all went back to the issue of Western Sahara, explained Lorena Stella Martini, advocacy and communications assistant for the European Council on Foreign Relations.

While theres no direct evidence that the reinvigorated relationship between Morocco and Spain led to the violence in Melilla this summer, Sunderland said the actions follow a clear pattern also seen in other countries the EU partners with to curb migration.

[There are often] crackdown[s] on undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in those countries on the heels of renewed declarations of partnership, she said.

On 24 June, in response to the attempted border crossing, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez praised the Moroccan authorities for their efforts in handling what he said was a violent and organised assault, and placed the blame for the incident on what he called human trafficking mafias.

Later after images and videos emerged showing Moroccan security forces holding truncheons, beating and kicking people, and standing over injured and exhausted people laying in piles on the ground Snchez attempted to distance himself from his initial comments, while still placing blame squarely on the shoulders of the mafias.

The Spanish public prosecutor has since opened an investigation into the deaths. HRWs Sunderland, however, said she doubted it would be a truly impartial one [that] will lead to actual truth and justice.

Meanwhile, Moroccan authorities have focused on prosecuting individuals involved in or accused of facilitating the crossing. Last month, 13 men from Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad were issued with fines and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. In July, 33 people were sentenced to 11 months in prison for illegal entry and disobedience.

An inquiry by Moroccos state-affiliated National Council on Human Rights (CNDH) alleged that the deaths were likely caused by suffocation when people were crushed while trying to cross narrow border entry points, and maintained that Moroccan security forces only used violence in isolated incidents in response to the danger posed by asylum seekers and migrants carrying sticks and stones. Dozens of Moroccan border guards were reportedly injured during the incident.

Watchdog groups, including the non-governmental Moroccan Association for Human Rights, said the CNDHs probe was incomplete, and reiterated their calls for an independent investigation.

At the EU level, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson condemned the loss of life at the Moroccan-Spanish border in a speech on 4 July, but quickly shifted to focus on the role of smuggling networks in facilitating and encouraging irregular migration.

Following a meeting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on 8 July between Johansson, Spains home affairs minister, and Moroccos interior minister, the EU and Morocco announced a renewed joint effort to cooperate on migration and counter people smuggling, focused on border management and enhanced police cooperation.

Said Saddiki, a professor of international relations at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, said Morocco does need more support from the EU to manage migration. He explained that EU policies have increasingly turned Morocco into a destination for asylum seekers and migrants instead of a transit country and said Morocco lacks the resources to integrate people into its economic and social life.

At the same time, he said theres also still a mutual distrust between Morocco and Spain stemming from colonial legacies and territorial disputes, among other issues, and Morocco like other North African countries does not want to act as a security guard for Europes borders without receiving anything in return.

Meanwhile, the reliance on Morocco when it comes to managing migration leaves the EU vulnerable to the issue being used to exert political pressure on the bloc and on member states as Turkey has done in recent years. International issues are intertwined, Saddiki added.

For asylum seekers and migrants hoping to transit through Morocco to reach Spain and the EU, the renewed focus on managing migration and tackling people smuggling will likely make it more difficult to reach Europe, said the ECFRs Martini.

It is key that harsher controls do not result in dramatic episodes such as the one that happened at the border between Morocco and Melilla in June, she added.

But human rights groups say that by putting the focus on combating people smuggling, Morocco and the EU are framing migration in a criminal context, which inevitably leads to directing hostile policies at asylum seekers and migrants trying to cross borders.

It is key that harsher controls do not result in dramatic episodes such as the one that happened at the border between Morocco and Melilla in June.

This is evident in areas close to Moroccos borders with Spain where, at any given time, hundreds of mostly sub-Saharan asylum seekers and migrants hoping to reach the EU live in informal camps or caves in extremely vulnerable, precarious conditions, according to Sunderland.

Moroccan authorities also have a history of violently raiding these camps and bussing people away from the borders of Melilla and Ceuta to impoverished areas of southern Morocco, far from the coast and the Spanish exclaves, Sunderland added. These types of raids are often justified as part of the fight against irregular migration and human trafficking.

Meanwhile, according to rights groups, those who do manage to make it to Spain face quickly being returned to Morocco, often without having the opportunity to apply for international protection, which is required under international law.

New legal migration pathways, as well as serious efforts to tackle the root causes that push people to leave in search of a better life, are desperately needed, according to Martini. It remains to be seen how the EU and its member states will work and also cooperate with important partners such as Morocco to reach such goals, she added.

Edited by Eric Reidy.

Excerpt from:
Melilla and Ceuta: What's behind the deaths at Morocco's land border with the EU? - The New Humanitarian

September 9, 2022 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border, stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas, and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between ports of entry.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to more than 302,600 migrant apprehensions and more than 19,700 criminal arrests, with more than 17,200 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, DPS has seized over 340.5 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.

Texas has also bused over 7,900 migrants to our nation's capital since April and over 2,200 migrants to New York City since August 5. Since last Wednesday, more than 300 migrants from Texas have arrived in Chicago. The busing mission is providing much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities.

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration's refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Biden's open border policies.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:

Governor Abbott Increases Reward For Reporting Criminal Stash Houses

Governor Abbott last week announced that his Public Safety Office, in conjunction with DPS, has increased the reward amount of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification of stash houses used in transnational criminal activity. The Texas Stash House Program encourages Texans to help combat transnational crime by anonymously reporting information on stash houses used to facilitate human trafficking, drug smuggling, and smuggling of people.

"As President Biden's dangerous open border policies continue to allow cartels and other criminal organizations to operate freely in our communities, it is more important than ever that Texans step up and report suspicious activity," said Governor Abbott. "These stash houses contain people or drugs that may haveotherwise made their way across Texas and the nation because of the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration's refusal to secure the border."

Read thepress release.

WATCH: DPS Lt. Olivarez Discusses Increased RewardFor Reporting Stash Houses

DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez joined the Rio Grande Valleys KRGV to discuss the new increased reward now being offered by the State of Texas for information on stash house criminal activity. The reward has been increased to $5,000 for information leading to a bust.

Its just an incentive for the public to actually report this activity taking place so we can try to prevent this criminal activity thats taking place in communities, Lt. Olivarez said.

WATCH: DPS Discover 14 Illegal Immigrants During Traffic Stop In La Pryor

A DPS trooper initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle hauling a travel trailer for a traffic violation in La Pryor. During the stop, troopers discovered 14 illegal immigrants. The driver was charged with smuggling of persons. All 14 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.

PHOTO: DPS Help Locate Stash House Hiding 21 Illegal Immigrants, Narcotics

DPS special agents, with assistance from Border Patrol, located a stash house in Webb County on Tuesday. Inside the house were 21 illegal immigrants16 males and five femalesall from Guatemala. Agents also discovered seven bundles of narcotics. One person was arrested and charged. All 21 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.

WATCH: Newsmax Embeds With DPS Aircraft Division On Border

Newsmax border correspondent Jaeson Jones embeds with elite DPS Aviation Division. Newsmax's 40-minute border crisis special provides a deeper look at the ongoing chaos at the border caused by President Bidens open border policies.

WATCH: DPS Lt. Olivarez Counters False White House Claims About Secure Border

DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez joined Newsmax to counter White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's claim that illegal immigrants are not just walking across the border.

They are walking across, in fact, said Lt. Olivarez. Once they get to Mexico from their country of origin, theyre paying a criminal organization to be smuggled into the United States, where they have to cross a river or in most severe cases, theyre having to cross the desert or mountainous terrain, like in West Texas.

WATCH: Smuggler Leads DPS On Pursuit, Over 20 Illegal Immigrants Bail Out

A human smuggler led DPS troopers on a vehicle pursuit in Mission, Texas. After running several red lights, the smuggler and nearly two dozen illegal immigrants bailed out and ran toward the brush. Fourteen illegal immigrants were apprehended, including two Chinese nationals.

Texas National Guard Employs Land, Water Resource To Interdict Illegal Activity

Texas National Guard soldiers in the Tactical Response Unit (TRU) employ both land and water resources to interdict illegal activity along the border. The TRU team uses fast boats on the water, while a team of soldiers on land in the brush stop criminal activity and illegal entry into the U.S.

Both teams radio Border Patrol and other law enforcement agencies in the area for faster, more closely coordinated efforts. Border Patrol agents working cameras and agents on patrol can provide locations in real time to the TRU team. The TRU teams combined efforts every week average hundreds of turnbacks and roughly 50 apprehensions, which include human and drug smugglers, cartel members, and low-level criminals.

We see a good amount of traffic, by the time our boats are in the water, there are usually groups who have already crossed, said Sgt. Castillo, a member of the boat patrols. For those criminals or illegal crossers undeterred by the boats, our guys in the brush, they cover down.

WATCH: DPS Discover 16 Illegal Immigrants In Passenger Van During Traffic Stop

A DPS trooper discovered 16 illegal immigrants during a traffic stop along U.S. 90 in Kinney County. The driver was charged with smuggling of persons. All 16 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.

See original here:
Operation Lone Star Buses More Than 10000 Migrants To Sanctuary Cities - Office of the Texas Governor

BERLIN Angela Merkel, who served as chancellor of Germany for 16 years, will release her political memoirs in 2024.

Her publisher announced Thursday that the former chancellor, who is co-authoring the book with her longtime adviser Beate Baumann, will provide an exclusive, personal look into her political life and work.

"I am pleased to reflect on central decisions and situations of my political work in my book ... and make them understandable to a broad public, also with recourse to my personal biography," the ex-chancellor said in a note released by publisher Kiepenheuer & Witsch.

Merkel, 68, steered Germany safely through a succession of crises including the global financial crisis, the migrant crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking back at her chancellorship shortly after she left office, she said that while the 16 years in office had fulfilled her, they had also been challenging because of the constant need to pay attention to, prevent, or react to crises.

Merkel, a former scientist who grew up in former communist East Germany, became Germany's first female chancellor on Nov. 22, 2005.

Named "The World's Most Powerful Woman" by Forbes magazine for 10 years in a row, Merkel has been cast as a powerful defender of liberal values in the West. Millions of women admire her for breaking through the glass ceiling of male dominance in politics, and she's been lauded as an impressive role model for girls.

However, since Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February, the former chancellor has also been accused of appeasing and engaging too closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin. She has rejected that criticism saying she always tried to work toward calamity being averted.

Follow this link:
Ex-chancellor Merkel's memoirs to be published in 2024 - Star Tribune

YUMA Governor Doug Ducey today celebrated the installation of shipping containers in gaps on Arizonas southern border, saying they have helped bring additional safety and security to Yuma and other communities.

Last time I stood along the border here in Yuma, multiple migrants crossed the border into Arizona illegally right in front of us, the governor said, near the Morelos Dam with the double-stacked shipping containers behind him. Now, 130 shipping containers fill border wall gaps that were previously wide open for dangerous cartel activity and illegal entry into our nation.

The governor, joined by state and local officials, surveyed some of the 3,820-feet of border barrier constructed last month, and spoke with local law enforcement and community leaders about how the strategy has assisted their efforts.

Its not a permanent solution. No one said it would be. But these containers have helped make it harder to get into our state illegally, the governor said. Migrant traffic is funneled to a few select spots, allowing Border Patrol to focus their limited resources.

Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot thanked the governor and agreed that the shipping containers have helped him keep Yuma safe.

The border barrier helps put a stop to the revolving door for the cartels that has been the southern border, the sheriff said. Yuma area law enforcement has been greatly impacted and has dealt with an increase in trespassing calls, criminal damage cases, 911 calls for rescues in the desert, and 50 death investigations this year. Governor Ducey is a true partner to law enforcement and has prioritized our well-being and ability to do our jobs.

The fast-moving Yuma Border Barrier Mission was launched when Governor Ducey issued an Executive Order directing the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to immediately fill the gaps in the Yuma border wall. The project was funded through the states monumental border security legislation, forged in partnership with legislative leaders this year.

Our Emergency Management team was charged with the coordination of efforts in filling gaps in the border wall, said Maj. Gen. Kerry L. Muehlenbeck, the Adjutant General of Arizona and Director of the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, We are proud to collaborate with our multiple state and federal partners to facilitate the efficient use of state resources and provide support to our communities.

The Yuma Sector has been one of the hardest hit areas for migrant traffic and drug trafficking.

The Yuma community has been put at risk and overburdened for far too long, said Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls. While the decision-makers in Washington let border communities fend for themselves, Governor Ducey has been by our side offering solutions since day one.

Migrants crossing the border wade through farmland, disrupting Yumas vital agriculture industry. Lettuce farmer Cory Mellon knows firsthand the toll the broken border has taken on farms and the community.

Yuma is a small town, were not built to sustain the amount of people traversing our community, Mellon said. On our farm, weve seen the increase in migrants crossing. Its not safe for our workers or for the migrants. Im grateful for Governor Duceys leadership in taking action to secure the border.

The Yuma sector saw a 1,200 percent increase in encounters in Fiscal Year 2021 compared to the year before. Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines said this is a problem Governor Ducey had a solution for.

The Yuma Border Barrier is working, he said. Weve seen less and less people attempting to cross. The containers have helped regain operational control of our nations southern border. Governor Duceys strategy has allowed law enforcement to concentrate resources and protect our communities.

BACKGROUND

On August 12, Governor Ducey issued an executive order authorizing the Arizona Department of Military Affairs to initiate operations to erect a barrier to close the gaps in the Southern Border wall. The Yuma Border Barrier was completed August 23 and consists of 130 double-stacked shipping containers which are reinforced with 4 feet of razor wire at the top. The shipping containers are 9 by 40 feet and weigh 8,800 pounds. The containers will be linked together and have been welded shut. In total, the border barrier stands 22 feet tall.

Governor Ducey signed on June 30, 2022 the most meaningful border security legislation in Arizona history, a plan to make record investments in protecting the state from the unprecedented crisis confronting our communities and law enforcement. The fiscal year 2023 budget, dedicates a record $564 million to help to secure our border with a physical barrier, address critical public safety staffing shortages, and modernize the technology and public safety equipment to target criminal activity and keep our citizens safe.

On May 11, 2022, the governor called on the leaders of social media companies to step up and take action to protect youth from cartel recruiting messages luring them into transnational human smuggling activity.

On April 19, 2022, Governor Ducey and 25 other governors launched the American Governors' Border Strike Force, a partnership to do what the federal government wont: secure the southern border. Governors Ducey and Abbott joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News to talk about the initiative that same day.

On April 1, 2022, Governor Ducey called on the Biden administration to maintain Title 42 to protect public health and safety.

In his January State of the State address, Governor Ducey proposed the idea for the American Governors' Border Strike Force. He said, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and I are teaming up to form the American Governors' Border Strike Force a commitment between states to do what the Biden administration is unwilling to do: Patrol and secure our border.

On December 7, 2021, the governor surged and repositioned Arizonas public safety resources to address the Biden Border Crisis in Yuma, Arizona.

On November 30, 2021, Governor Ducey sent a team of the states top law enforcement officers to meet with their counterparts in Texas to discuss the current border crisis, share best practices, and discuss future partnerships, including the American Governors Border Strike Force. The delegation included Major General Kerry Muehlenbeck, Department of Public Safety Director Heston Silbert and Department of Homeland Security Director Tim Roemer.

On October 6, 2021, Governor Ducey joined Governor Abbott and eight other governors in Mission, Texas, for a border security briefing and press conference, where they detailed a ten-point plan for the Biden administration to resolve the border crisis.

On September 20, 2021, Governor Ducey and 25 fellow governors requested an urgent meeting with President Biden to find meaningful solutions to the border crisis. Their hope was to meet with the president and his team directly to discuss actions the administration can take. Secretary Mayorkas responded two months later on November 24, but has not taken meaningful actions.

In July 2021, Governor Ducey successfully lobbied the Biden administration to continue Title 42 border protections and called on Congress to protect Title 42 from future Biden interference.

On June 10, 2021, Governor Ducey and Governor Abbott sent a letter to all U.S. governors asking them to send available law enforcement resources to the border.

On May 11, 2021, Governor Ducey joined 19 fellow governors to call on President Biden and Vice President Harris to reverse their destructive border policies.

On April 20, 2021, Governor Ducey issued a Declaration of Emergency and deployed the Arizona National Guard to the states southern border to support local law enforcement efforts.

Read more here:
Governor Ducey Tours Yuma Border Barrier | Office of the Arizona Governor - Governor Doug Ducey (.gov)

Recently, I asked the president of a large Democratic womens organization in Washington, D.C., if they had been helping any of the more than 6,000 migrants who had been bussed to D.C. from Texas in recent weeks.Many D.C. charities and immigrant rights groups have tried to help, but their resources were overwhelmed. Most of the migrants usually single male adults ages 18 to 26 have ended up on the streets. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the NationalGuard for help. She was refused.

The non-profits president enthusiastically introduced me to a 26-year-old woman helping in their food bank. She had walked from Ecuador to Texas in 45 days in May and June, then took the offer of a free bus from Texas to D.C. in early July. The former Venezuelan naval helicopter pilot student was eager to tell me her story over a two-hour lunch speaking only Spanish.But she askedme not to use her name since she didnt have papers.I must tell you she is beautiful.Her lovely hair fell in swooping curls and she had long manicured fingernails.In her soft but passionate voice, she told me that she was still upset and traumatized by her trip. But she also acknowledged she had been very lucky to make itto the USAsafely and to find a hostess in D.C.

I recount her story here from my notes in Spanish and English. Her narrative brings up as many questions as it answers.

I am from a coastal town in Venezuela where my parents had a small construction supply business. Seven years ago, I joined the navy. A year or so after, I was happy to be accepted into the helicopter pilot training program. I wanted to do something different, that most girls dont do.During the governmental incursions of 2017-18,I had to do some security detail with my naval unit. That was OK.But then about four years ago, my parents were taken hostage in their home and all their belongings were taken away. We decided as a family to flee to Ecuador. I eventually became a nail technician, although its not what I wanted to do.I wanted to go to the United States where the jobs were better.

This May after preparing with five friends all male we started off from Ecuador to walk to the U.S. al norte.I knew we had to travel light so I only took a small backpack with some clothes.

How many shoes did you take? I asked. Only one, she replied.My sports shoes. How are they? I asked. Fine, she answered with a shrug.

What was the worst part of the trip? I inquired.Oh, theDarien jungle in Columbia before Panama,she answered without hesitation. If you cant afford a boat around it, you have to walk through it. It was very scary. No food or water. Took about a week. We saw almost no one.

More questions: Did you have guides? maps?Did people help you with food and transportation? Were you ever assaulted?

No, I was never assaulted, she maintained throughout the two-hour interview. My friends protectedme. Andseveral times during the trip we were able to pay for a bus, or a hotel or for some meals. Sometimes, people helped us.

But they did have to pay bribes. Usually to people in (fake?) uniforms.Mexico was the hardest border to get through, she said. I was kidnapped in central Mexico she used the verb kidnapped in English a couple of times, but we agreed that she meant more like taken hostage or detained until she paid a bribe. The biggest bribe she paid was in Mexico: $600.

How much money did you take with you?I asked.About 1,200 American dollars, she said.

So, what happened when you got to the Mexican-U.S. border? I asked.We took a bus and had a map to the Rio Grande river crossing. It was dark but there were about 600 people waiting there the most we had seen on the whole trip, she recounted.

No one guided or led them. At one point during the night, people started wading across the river. So, she and her friends decided to as well. The water was deep, up to here, she showed me pointing to her chest. It was hard because I had hurt my ankle. I was scared.

When she and her friends made it onto the Texas shore, however, uniformed U.S. border patrol came up to them. Are you OK? she recalled was the first thing they asked. Are you hurt? Hungry? Need water?

Then, they were taken by van to a registration center.They asked us for our names and nationality, the Venezuelan citizen said. She had no papers to show them (had been told not to bring any). No one asked anything about COVID.

Then, people from ISAP (Intensive Supervision of Appearance Program, a government migrant monitoring program)took charge.We have automatically registered you as claiming asylum, they told her and her friends. We will help you with the paperwork.

Did you see anyone turned away by the borderpatrol?I asked?No, she said firmly.

The agents then took them to a small tent city where they were given food, clean clothes, a chance to shower and clean beds. Her companions were already contacting relatives and friends they had in Texas, California and Chicago. But she had no one to call.A few days later, they were given a bus ride to a small Texas town and told they were free to go where they wanted.As she walked into town, people from another organization told her they were putting together a bus for migrants to travel free to Washington D.C.Would she like to go?She immediately said yes.

The bus arrived at Union Station 45 hours later.It was late at night and dark. A small number of people greeted them with food and water. Some migrants mostly women and a few with young children were offered to stay at volunteers homes for a night or two, but no more.They would be directed to agencies that could help them.

Then, she got reallylucky.One of the volunteers said she could stay with her.Now Im doing all I can to expedite my asylum status so I can get a job permit, she said.Thats what I want.A good job and security to stay.

I told her I was happy for her and wished her luck.Ididnt mention thatbecause she was coming from Ecuador where she and her family hadfound safe refuge, a home and jobs for over three years,thatmight taint her request for asylum status. But Venezuelans have been given special Temporary Protective Status on the basis of their nationality it is not safe for them to go back to their homeland right now (a United Nations Human Right). So, she might not have to prove she was fleeingimmediate mortal danger as asylum and refugee applicants usually are required to do.

Such are the realities of crossing the southern border. Meanwhile, nonprofits in D.C. that assist migrants arriving from Texas are running out of resources and are asking for help themselves.

The rest is here:
Exclusive Interview on the Migrant Crisis: Woman Walks From Ecuador to Texas - Georgetowner