Central American asylum seekers get legal aid near United States border
TIJUANA, Mexico — About 20 volunteer U.S. lawyers gave legal workshops Friday just across the border in Mexico to Central American asylum seekers who traveled in a “caravan” that has been harshly criticized by President Donald Trump.
Journalists were not allowed inside the sessions for about 300 migrants that took place at a civic group’s office, at Tijuana’s largest migrant shelter and at an art gallery in a building that once housed a cross-border tunnel used to smuggle drugs into San Diego.
The lawyers gave information about the U.S. asylum process while the chil- dren of the mostly female migrants played. The mi- grants were warned they could face long periods of the effort with the Pueblos reach, including Mexico. separation from their chil- Sin Fronteras group. Mensing said the lawyers dren and lengthy detention Homeland Security helping the migrants if they are allowed to stay Kirstjen Nielsen warned might offer opinions on in the U.S. this week that any person individual cases, just like
The migrants plan to trying to cross into the U.S. any lawyer would for a client. head to the border on Sunday, who makes false claims to setting up a showdown immigration authorities “We always emphasize with the Trump administration will subject to criminal you have to tell the truth,” — which has prosecution. She said prosecution Mensing said. warned that some could was also possible Caravans have been a face detention, prosecution for any people who might fairly common tactic for and deportation. Most Central assist or coach immigrants advocacy groups to bring American migrants to make false claims in attention to asylum-seekers seeking asylum in the U.S. bids to enter the U.S. and the latest is smaller cite the threat of gang violence Nielsen’s threat is consistent than previous efforts compared in their homelands. with the administration’s to previous border
The lawyers and advocates narrative of widespread surges, but gained huge met one-on-one with asylum fraud and visibility after Trump unleashed some of the migrants but claims that asylum-seekers strong criticism did not coach them on are coached on what to when it began March 25 in what to say and what not tell U.S. authorities. The the Mexican city of Tapachula, to say when they meet secretary also said asylum near the Guatemala with U.S. immigration officers seekers in the caravan border. on Sunday, said Alex should seek protection in The caravan drew as Mensing, an organizer of the first safe country they many as 1,000 people as it crossed Mexico as Trump and top aides portrayed them as a significant threat and evidence of a dysfunctional border.
Trump cited the caravan as justification for the border wall he wants to build, even though the asylumseekers plan to turn themselves in to border inspectors and are legally entitled to seek protection. He said he ordered the Homeland Security Department to “stop the caravan.”
As Sunday’s showdown at the busy Tijuana-San Diego border crossing neared, Amnesty International hoisted a billboard promoting the right to asylum in the U.S. on a truck in Tijuana that drove around the city.