Asylum seekers stake claims on patch of US soil at border [View all]

[riversedge]

Source: AP




TIJUANA, Mexico — Dec 18, 2018, 3:15 AM ET




Several asylum seekers, joined by two members of the U.S. Congress, waited on a small patch of U.S. soil for hours demanding that their claims be processed immediately, challenging a U.S. policy to make people wait in Mexico if there are capacity constraints.

The 21 Honduran asylum seekers ......................

By Monday night, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to process eight unaccompanied children, one mother with five children and one man, Ramos said. But a family of five and one man continued to wait on the small piece of U.S. soil, backed by the presence of U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragan and Jimmy Gomez, both California Democrats.


"Children are sick, they're crying, they've had to use the bathroom," said Ramos. "We've had to get blankets and food for them."

CBP did not comment on the status of the 21 asylum seekers but officials said claims are processed as quickly as possible.

The impasse highlights a U.S. practice to limit entry for asylum seekers at official crossings when they are at full capacity, which it calls "metering" or "queue management." Authorities emphatically deny they are turning away asylum seekers - prohibited under U.S. and international law - and say they are simply asking them to temporarily wait in Mexico..................................

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/asylum-seekers-stake-claims-patch-us-soil-border-59878706