Here's how to fix America's immigration system. Trump's path is not the solution | Kenneth Roth

"Immigration is one of the most divisive issues facing the United States, as it is in many countries. An ICE agent's killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis is only the latest outrage that has brought the issue to the fore. Facing a 30 January deadline to renew funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, Democrats are now insisting on limits on ICE, at risk of another shutdown."

"Until recently, immigrants flooded the US-Mexican border. Rather than trying to sneak across as in years past, most presented themselves at a formal border crossing and sought asylum. They proceeded entirely lawfully, but because their numbers overwhelmed the asylum system, it could take years for a claim to be considered, effectively allowing long-term residence in the United States before any ruling on the merits."

"That contributed to the perception that the asylum system was broken. Joe Biden's administration addressed the problem by maintaining the theoretical right to seek asylum but imposing restrictions, including making many migrants wait in Mexico where they were vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Donald Trump has essentially withdrawn the right to seek asylum at the border, denying people fleeing war and persecution the opportunity to find a safe haven."

Immigration is a deeply divisive issue in the United States, intensified by an ICE agent's killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. Debate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security has prompted Democrats to demand limits on ICE, risking a government shutdown. Recent migration shifted toward lawful asylum requests at formal border crossings, overwhelming the asylum system and creating long waits that effectively allowed extended residence before merited rulings. The Biden administration retained the right to seek asylum while imposing restrictions that forced many migrants to wait in Mexico, exposing them to abuse. The Trump approach has broadly curtailed asylum access at the border.

Read at www.theguardian.com