The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas visited to the San Ysidro Point of Entry on Dec.7 in a press conference and praised the economic boost bought it's reopening, but faced criticism from activists regarding the “Remain in Mexico” policy which kee[s asylum seekers in Mexico.
He described the San Ysidro Port of Entry as "the engine of prosperity" for both sides of the border despite the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
"As you can see, it is quite busy and we have no plans to shut it down at this time," he said
This was his first visit to California since taking office and it has been one month since the border reopened to non-essential crossings. During the press conference, Mayorkas announced proof of vaccination from U.S Citizens and legal residents of the United States will be required beginning Jan.22 for non essential travel.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined Mayorkas on a tour of the port of entry which they both praised San Diego’s and Tijuana’s vaccination levels which allowed reopening of non-essential crossings. According to Gloria, the reopening of non-essential travel will allow the binational region to heal from the economic consequences of the pandemic.
However, both reporters and activists questioned the migration measures for asylum seekers. A group of protesters had a banner that read that "a mile south of here, refugees are dying on our border."
The organization Human Rights First documented more than 1,500 cases of kidnappings, rapes, assaults among other major crimes on migrants at the Mexican border since 2019, during the first period of “Remain in Mexico”.
They have also documented more than 6,300 abuses, including cases like those mentioned above, since President Joe Biden took office in January of this year.
So far the majority of asylum seekers remain in Mexico because the United States maintains a Trump era measure,“Title 42”, which prohibits asylum seekers from entering the U.S due to the pandemic .
"When we have the pandemic behind us, when the public health imperative no longer requires the exercise of that authority, we will not use that authority to expel people," Mayorkas said.
Among the protesters, immigration attorney Dulce García said “Title 42 should not apply to asylum seekers; as you can see at the border, people are crossing to go shopping, for many other reasons, but the border is still closed to asylum seekers.”
Also serving as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, Garcia said that most of the migrants who wait in camps and shelters on the border have already been vaccinated.
Mayorkas had clarified that the “Remain in Mexico” program was restarted by court order and that it would continue until that order changes.
Director of the American Friends Services Committee on the border, Pedro Ríos, said that the authorities "use the court order as an excuse to prevent the passage of those seeking asylum."
