Asylum seekers are men, women and children fleeing violence, persecution and political upheaval who have crossed borders to seek safety in another country. Most eventually return home when it’s safe, some stay in temporary refugee settlements, and a small fraction resettle in a third country. The Department of Homeland Security implemented a rule in May which disqualifies people from seeking asylum in the United States if they did not first apply in countries they crossed earlier in their journeys.

Most who seek asylum in the United States travel through Mexico but Mexico is far from equipped to process large numbers of asylum applications. Those who become trapped in Mexican border encampments often become victims of crimes, including kidnapping, sexual assault and robbery. The Biden administration should be ashamed of pursuing Trump-era policies that unjustly deny protection to people seeking safety in the United States and return them to danger. The United States has once again turned its back on its long tradition of offering refuge to those who are fleeing persecution and violence.

James Moore

Bangor

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