US asylum app strands migrants and aids organised crime, rights group says
US asylum app strands migrants and aids organised crime, rights group says The Guardian US
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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Impact of the CBP One App on Asylum Seekers at the US-Mexico Border
Introduction
A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlights the negative impact of the CBP One app, a US government smartphone application that tightly limits asylum appointments at the US-Mexico border. The report emphasizes the violation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the adverse consequences faced by vulnerable migrants in Mexico.
The CBP One App and Digital Metering
The CBP One app, which is all but mandatory for asylum seekers, offers only 1,450 appointments per day, despite an average of 7,240 daily arrivals at the border between May 2023 and January 2024. This practice, known as “digital metering,” forces asylum seekers to wait for an appointment or resort to paying human trafficking groups to cross the border between ports of entry.
Impact on Vulnerable Migrants
Contrary to the Biden administration’s claims that the app disrupts smuggling networks, HRW’s report reveals that digital metering in Mexico exposes asylum seekers to extortion, kidnapping, and violence. With limited access to protection, asylum seekers are more likely to engage with smugglers, further enriching criminal cartels.
CBP One App Requirement and Exceptions
The CBP One app became a requirement for asylum seekers in May 2023, anticipating a rise in arrivals at the border. However, the expected increase did not occur, yet the app requirement remained in place. Certain exceptions exist for those facing imminent threats or severe forms of trafficking. Nevertheless, HRW investigators document instances where asylum seekers describing such threats are turned away.
Risks and Collusion with Organized Crime
Asylum seekers who choose to wait for an appointment face months of risk, including kidnapping by organized crime groups. Mexican officials sometimes collude with these criminal networks, further endangering migrants. Instances of officials forcing migrants onto buses for deportation have also been reported.
Mexico’s Role as US Immigration Enforcer
Mexico plays a significant role as a US immigration enforcer, tasked with reducing arrivals at the border. However, this approach has led to increased detentions and risks for migrants. The longer migrants spend in Mexico, the greater the dangers they face.
Conclusion
The CBP One app, despite its intention to create order and impartiality, puts asylum seekers in danger and empowers criminal cartels. The report calls for improved measures from both the United States and Mexico to protect vulnerable migrants and uphold the SDGs.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. | The article mentions instances of violence against women and girls, including kidnapping, extortion, and sexual exploitation. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. | The article highlights the involvement of human trafficking groups in assisting asylum seekers to cross the border. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. | The article discusses the challenges faced by asylum seekers in accessing protection and the risks they face during their migration journey. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | The article mentions instances where Mexican officials collude with organized crime groups and engage in human rights violations. |
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Fuente: theguardian.com
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