Restrictions imposed during Donald Trump’s presidency due to the pandemic have not yet been lifted, so experts expect more illegal border crossings at the US-Mexico border.
Nearly 1.6 million asylum applications pending in the US, a record high – CNN reports. The Supreme Court continues to maintain refugee restrictions that were imposed during Donald Trump’s presidency, at the start of the pandemic. According to experts, it is feared that this will only increase the number of illegal border crossers.
“I think a lot of people coming here will try to cross the border illegally, they will try to get in through the mountains or by any open road,” said Elias Rodriguez, general manager of the HOPE Humanitarian Center that helps migrants.
In Juarez, Mexico, a recently built shelter due to the immigration crisis, some migrants are waiting for more news, while others have decided to cross illegally into the United States.
“We still don’t know anything concrete, we are waiting for something to happen in the next few hours, but then we will have to escape,” said a Venezuelan migrant. Another woman from Venezuela also said: Based on the news they have received so far, they do not have much hope left, but they still trust in God.
According to the original plans, the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic would have expired on December 21, but the case will only be heard in the Supreme Court in February, so the regulation will remain in place until then.
According to the restrictions, 2.5 million asylum applications were rejected under the pretext of preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Thousands of people are still waiting at the Mexico-US border for US authorities to suspend restrictions, so they may have a better chance of crossing the border.
