Center for Jewish History (1883) Emma Lazarus, 1883; “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” (para. 2).
El Paso, Texas has become a focal point in the latest wave of migrants seeking asylum in the United States. The city’s resources are being stretched as officials and local organizations grapple with the increasing demand for essential services such as food and medicine.
Local businesses have stepped up to provide temporary shelter to the growing number of asylum seekers. However, challenges persist, particularly with many migrants hesitant to board buses for shelter, fearing they may be returned to their country of origin. This has led to many individuals sleeping outside, raising concerns about their welfare and the underlying reasons driving their migration.
City Official Congresswoman Vanessa Escobar, a third-generation El Paso resident, has highlighted the difficulties faced by the city in accommodating the influx of migrants. The end of Title 42—a policy introduced during the Trump administration to limit the spread of COVID-19 by restricting border entries, which has resulted in over 2 million people being turned away—adds to the uncertainty. As the policy’s expiration approaches, questions loom about how the city and the nation will manage the anticipated increase in asylum seekers.
Recent developments include a social media video showing Democratic Congresswoman Nannette Barragan at a U.S. port of entry, where she filmed a father and son seeking asylum but being denied. The video has sparked a debate about the current state of border control and the best approach to managing the flow of migrants.
With Title 42 nearing its end and the number of arrivals increasing, the future of U.S. border policy remains uncertain. The situation in El Paso underscores the pressing need for effective strategies to address the challenges posed by the surge in asylum seekers.
Keywords
El Paso, asylum seekers, Title 42, U.S. border policy, Vanessa Escobar, Nannette Barragan, The Whistling Chronicle Newspaper, The Whistling Chronicle Online
Reference:
Center for Jewish History. (1883). Manuscript notebook from the Emma Lazarus collection, 1877-1887. https://digipres.cjh.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE1072380 (Look for Page 1 , second paragraph).
