The immigration issues facing the U.S. have been widely publicized with the COVID-19 outbreak highlighting the issues facing those being held at the border. However, far from the holding cells of those held by ICE and the U.S. Border Agency, there are thousands of people looking to complete their immigration process at a time when the majority of the U.S. Government has closed its doors due to the virus. Specialist immigration attorney, Jean Danhong Chen is one of those immigration specialists fighting for the rights of her clients at one of the most uncertain times in global history.
One of the issues facing those looking to move to the U.S. or who have already arrived is the closure of the border with Mexico. California is home to a large Latin community who have been left with no physical link to their families by the decision to close the border. ABC10 reports the regular visits across the border from California to Mexico are the only times some immigrants have to keep in contact with their families on the Mexican side of the border. Whether documented or undocumented, many of those who have made California their home have been impacted in different ways.
ABC10 reports the number of Californian residents looking to make their homes in Mexico and beyond has been low because of the fear of contamination of the virus. In Mexico, the available data back in March when the U.S. border with Mexico was closed showed the infection rate had reach 1,000 cases with the border closure seeming to have the right impact as cases had fallen by the end of the month to just 400. Anecdotal evidence backed up by Jean Danhong Chen and her law form team shows many people were not planning on making a return trip to Mexico during this time. Instead, the majority of immigrants are looking to ride out the pandemic in the U.S. where shelter in place orders have been used for a long time.
The Washington Post has been reporting on the movement of immigrants and dual citizens looking for expert healthcare in the U.S. The border closure began with many of those who began to feel sick and vulnerable of infection as COVID-19 spread across the border between the U.S. and Mexico. The Trump administration looked at the numbers of those who have made their way between the two nations and were making their way to U.S. hospitals before deciding to close the border completely.
One of the areas of concern for Jean Danhong Chen has been the number of people who have been stopped at the border between the U.S. and Mexico and returned directly to Mexico at the nearest port of entry. Crossing the border between ports of entry was always a problematic option for immigration lawyers but the main issue for the majority of immigration lawyers is the change to the usual procedures. In most cases, Jean Danhong Chen and her fellow immigration lawyers meet with their clients when they are moved from the border to a holding facility in the U.S. The latest procedures call for all captured immigrants crossing the border to be immediately returned to their nation of origin.
One of the reasons for the concern on the part of U.S. Border officials has been the inability of ICE and the border agency to deport those who have reached the end of their immigration journey. The pandemic has caused a large amount of concern for those who are struggling to cope with the problems of deportation because no flights were operating between nations at the height of the virus. The backlog that has been caused by the pandemic is growing and the fear of a second wave of the virus in California is consistently growing and causing panic among those waiting for hearings and immigration decisions.
The assistance of the Mexican Government has been vital to the work being done by the U.S. Border Agency. The Mexican Government has agreed to fast-track the deportees from the U.S. through Mexico and back to their home nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. U.S. News reports the new rules of asylum have yet to be challenged in court making the job of immigration lawyers, such as Jean Danhong Chen more difficult because of the gray area they create. Along with the issues surrounding student visas that are currently being challenged by the Attorney General of California immigration law is now being affected by major changes.
As the decisions being made for the people of California at a state and federal level are evolving with the pandemic the issue of deportations and an immigration backlog are at the heart of a crisis seen across California. ICE has introduced a policy to avoid continuing arrests close to COVID-19 medical facilities. However, testing is not free to non-citizens meaning more concern is growing of a widening gulf between those seeking medical help and those who are fearful of doing so.
