EL PASO, Texas – La semana pasada se revelaron cifras de censos que confirman que la cantidad de inmigrantes sin autorización en los Estados Unidos cayó en casi un millón en el último año. Los defensores del migrante dicen que esto debilita los argumentos de quienes se oponen a la reforma migratoria nacional, diciendo que la frontera sigue siendo demasiado porosa.

Los defensores de los migrantes en Texas están marcando del Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos para censurar lo que califican de violaciones sistemáticas a la ley internacional y a la Constitución de los Estados Unidos. En la valla fronteriza, en El Paso, una manifestación exigirá reformas profundas al sistema migratorio del país. Fernando García, director ejecutivo de la Border Network for Human Rights (Red Fronteriza por los Derechos Humanos), dice que la campaña sostenida durante la década pasada sólo generó estereotipos raciales, allanamientos ilegales, separaciones forzadas, disparos a gente inocente y cientos de muertes anuales de migrantes que tratan de cruzar desiertos remotos, montañas y ríos.

"Todo esto ha resultado de la aplicación casi ideológica de leyes fronterizas - aplicación, aplicación y más aplicación. Ha sido muy personal para muchos de nosotros, porque podría ser un miembro de nuestra familia: nuestros abuelos, hermanos y hermanas ... gente que muere."

Las propuestas de una reforma migratoria profunda han sido filtradas en años recientes por quienes dicen que primero debería sellarse la frontera. Pero los censos recientes confirman que la migración neta de México ha bajado a cero. Y luego de que los electores latinos votaron en cantidades mayores a las previstas en la elección pasada, muchos legisladores están dispuestos a reconsiderar su postura anti-reforma.

García dice que la mayoría de los hispanos que buscan oportunidades o la reunificación de la familia, prefieren hacerlo por medios legales; pero un sistema roto se los hace casi imposible. Contra lo que afirma la retórica política, agrega, los 11 millones de migrantes indocumentados no piden ser puestos al frente de la fila de la ciudadanía.

"Entendemos que habrá residencia provisional, luego residencia permanente y luego, en unos años, la ciudadanía. Sabemos que tomará tiempo. Y ya sabemos que nos van a mandar al final de la línea... pero es que actualmente la línea no funciona."

Además de un camino hacia la ciudadanía, dice que las reformas debieran incluir recursos para problemas administrativos – como el atraso creciente en las solicitudes de residencia – en vez de más muros fronterizos y esfuerzos militares para hacer cumplir la ley. Mientras tanto, dice, los grupos como el suyo seguirán buscando soluciones para lo que ven como violaciones a los derechos humanos, a través de canales locales, nacionales e internacionales.

Encuentre información sobre la manifestación y documentación sobre abusos a los derechos humanos en la zona froteriza, en www.bnhr.org. Más análisis sobre datos censuales en el Pew Hispanic Center.


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The future of Senate Bill 4 is still tangled in court challenges. It's the Texas law that would allow police to arrest people for illegally crossing the border. But groups are speaking out about the impact of "Operation Lone Star" on the youngest migrants. Governor Greg Abbott continues to bus migrant families to other states, many with young children - more than 100,000 families so far.

Robert Sanborn, CEO of Children at Risk, works to improve the quality of life for boys and girls in Texas, and contends the policy has put trauma on top of trauma.

"We never want children to be political pawns. We don't want maximum chaos on the backs of children. We want children to grow up and be assets for our community," he contended.

Sanborn points out that 2.2 million children in Texas are immigrants, and said it would be less stressful for kids if families were not bused in the middle of the night, and if they were allowed to pick their destination.

When immigrants arrive at the border, they are evaluated to determine if they're eligible for asylum.

Beatriz Zavala, clinical coordinator at El Paso-based Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health, or "HOME," said the children in this situation are at higher risk for mental health disorders.

"What is particularly troubling is the profound disregard for the stability and protection these families need. The impact on their mental health is undeniable. These are not just statistics. These are children, real children," she said.

As part of Operation Lone Star, families have been bused to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. The governor has said the practice is needed to keep the Texas-Mexico border safe.


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Legislation in Albany would create the first right to counsel for people in immigration court.

The Access to Representation Act would provide immigrants the right to an attorney in their New York immigration cases, ending the tendency to represent themselves if they cannot afford one.

Estimates show a backlog of more than 330,000 immigration court cases, and fewer than half have attorneys. Studies show without legal counsel, migrants are less likely to remain in the U.S.

Marlene Galaz, director of immigrant rights policy for the New York Immigration Coalition, described what the bill would do.

"It has a six-year ramp-up to start implementing and building infrastructure," Galaz outlined. "Having a pipeline between law schools for law students to go into immigration practice, and getting to nonprofits and so on."

Galaz noted most opposition centers around the $150 million to fund the program but pointed out the total expenditure is less than 1% of the state's $229 billion budget. She added anti-immigrant rhetoric has also damaged support for the bill. Currently, it is in the state Senate Finance Committee.

The New York City Comptroller's office said enacting the bill would benefit the state financially. It could keep about 53,000 people from being deported, which would result in almost $8.5 billion in local, state and federal taxes over the next 30 years.

Galaz emphasized the influx of migrants has saturated the court system, leading to what could have been an avoidable backlog.

"I firmly believe that if these investments had been made when we first asked for them, I believe, like, three years ago, then we wouldn't be struggling," Galaz contended. "We would have had the infrastructure built to address an increase in welcoming our newest neighbors."

A Vera Institute survey showed 93% of New Yorkers across party lines and regions support access to attorneys for all people, including those in immigration court, and government-funded attorneys for them.


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Story has been updated to reflect late-night 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision.(8:01 a.m. MST, Mar. 20, 2024)


The U.S. Supreme Court handed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a big but temporary win Tuesday in his battle to stop the flow of migrants crossing the Texas-Mexico border.

Late Tuesday night, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals put the law known as Senate Bill 4 on hold again. It would give state and local law enforcement the authority to arrest migrants as they cross into the U-S.

The Biden administration argued that the law would interfere with federal immigration law and is unconstitutional.

David Coale, an appellate attorney in Dallas, said if the state gets the authority to make arrests, he thinks it will move with caution.

"I think that Texas will want to make some very high-profile moves under this statute," Coale predicted. "But they also don't want to potentially expose themselves to massive civil rights liability if it turns out they're wrong."

Under SB-4, crossing the border illegally is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail. The appeals court hears oral arguments in the case today. Meanwhile, a Mexican government official said his country won't accept migrants deported under SB-4.

The Supreme Court justices did not issue a reason for allowing the law to go into effect and there's been no clear timetable for how or when Texas will start enforcing it. In 2012, the Supreme Court struck down parts of a similar law in Arizona, saying an impasse in Congress over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

Coale noted if the law is ultimately upheld, it would give each state the right to make its own immigration laws.

"If you give Texas a pass, you know, New York will have a different policy and California will have a policy and Montana will have a policy," Coale pointed out. "And they will not be consistent."

All six of the court's conservative justices agreed with the decision to allow the law to take effect - a ruling that, at least for now, was in effect for only a few hours.


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