BORDER HUMAN RIGHTS
A collaborative project of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law and the Border Human Rights Working Group
Over the last two decades, the discussion on immigration policy in the United States has shifted from finding legal solutions to undocumented migration to a heated debate on the need for increased border enforcement. Through the utilization of elaborate legislative and policy mechanisms that intensify the militarization of our southern border, the US has increased the number of border officers at the United States-Mexico border, built more fences and walls along this border, and increased the criminal penalties for migrants attempting to cross. This aggressive campaign has ultimately resulted in an increase in the market for migrant smuggling and has inadvertently created a dangerous path for those attempting to cross the border.
The United States-Mexico border has become a virtual war zone. Local communities along the border are being destroyed by the escalating violence. Human rights organizations are witnessing an upsurge in vigilante activity encouraged by extremist groups, such as the Minuteman Project. Smuggling activity has increased ten-fold and dangerous high-speed chases are more frequent.
Existing and proposed policies have done little to impede undocumented migration or address the issue of violence along the border. In fact, major increases in border enforcement over the past twenty years have made border communities less safe and less secure, forced migrants to more frequently use the services of human smugglers to cross the border, turned the smugglers into a hardened group of violent criminals (the only ones willing to risk long jail sentences for smuggling), caused routine violations of the civil rights of U.S. residents in border communitites, caused the deaths of thousands of migrants, while doing little if anything to stem the flow of migrants.
In order to have an impact on migration to the United States, policy discussions must focus on economic development programs in well-known major sending communities abroad. Most migration experts agree that a major component of any rational and long-term solution to undocumented migration into the U.S. must address the lack of economic stability in sending communities. Unless the economic conditions in these identifiable communities improves, migrants will continue to risk their lives to reach jobs made available by U.S. employers and to reunite with their immediate family members.
The link on this web site named Policy Recommendations offers rational and humane approaches to border enforcement that take into account both the national interests of the United States as well as the human rights of border residents and migrants seeking to cross the borders.
The United States-Mexico border has become a virtual war zone. Local communities along the border are being destroyed by the escalating violence. Human rights organizations are witnessing an upsurge in vigilante activity encouraged by extremist groups, such as the Minuteman Project. Smuggling activity has increased ten-fold and dangerous high-speed chases are more frequent.
Existing and proposed policies have done little to impede undocumented migration or address the issue of violence along the border. In fact, major increases in border enforcement over the past twenty years have made border communities less safe and less secure, forced migrants to more frequently use the services of human smugglers to cross the border, turned the smugglers into a hardened group of violent criminals (the only ones willing to risk long jail sentences for smuggling), caused routine violations of the civil rights of U.S. residents in border communitites, caused the deaths of thousands of migrants, while doing little if anything to stem the flow of migrants.
In order to have an impact on migration to the United States, policy discussions must focus on economic development programs in well-known major sending communities abroad. Most migration experts agree that a major component of any rational and long-term solution to undocumented migration into the U.S. must address the lack of economic stability in sending communities. Unless the economic conditions in these identifiable communities improves, migrants will continue to risk their lives to reach jobs made available by U.S. employers and to reunite with their immediate family members.
The link on this web site named Policy Recommendations offers rational and humane approaches to border enforcement that take into account both the national interests of the United States as well as the human rights of border residents and migrants seeking to cross the borders.