New Ideas For Solving The Problem At The Southern Border

The ongoing humanitarian crisis at the southern border of the United States has highlighted the need for a comprehensive and adaptable system of humanitarian protection and border management. While the Biden Administration’s new immigration initiatives and the American Immigration Council’s report, “Beyond a Border Solution: How to Build a Humanitarian Protection System That Won’t Break,” offer valuable insights on how to attack the problem, it is crucial to explore additional approaches that can complement and strengthen the existing asylum system.

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Facing Reality At The Border

The numbers of migrants witnessed at the southern border recently are staggering. They pose a serious challenge to America’s system of immigration. That system is based on the premise that Congress chooses how many immigrants should be allowed entry each year. Furthermore, the assumption is that the country has an absorptive capacity that needs to be honored to deal with immigrants in an orderly manner. The system operates on the basis that true refugees would presumably choose asylum in the first country that offers them haven from fleeing persecution. Moreover, the system operates on the belief that its rules will be honored by those who seek sanctuary in this country. Among those rules is that the U.S. cannot allow every immigrant entry all at once but needs to process applicants in an orderly manner, one after the other. These assumptions are being ignored by the migrants coming to the U.S. at the southern border since the migrants are, by and large, self-selecting, venue shopping, priority jumping, and irregular border crossers.

Be that as it may, certain aspects of the administration’s recent policies show promise in addressing the problem. The new system of creating processing centers overseas to handle U.S. bound asylum claims, the rule that migrants ought to claim asylum in the first country that is prepared to accept them, the coordination of the policy with other countries such as Canada and Spain, and the targeting of asylum claimants from Latin America including providing target numbers per year are all steps forward in the effort to get a grip on the problem. The effort to ameliorate the economic and political conditions of migrant producing countries in Latin America merits further effort as well. But there are some other things that can be improved.

The Limitations Of Refugee Law

While refugee law plays an important role, it cannot single-handedly address the complex issues presented by modern-day displacement. The old adage that if all you have is a hammer, pretty soon every problem looks like a nail seems to apply to today’s U.S. asylum system as a would-be solution for all of America’s border problems. To overcome this limitation, a broader policy of sponsorship should be considered. This approach would involve private citizens, non-profit organizations, and faith-based groups assuming financial and logistical responsibility for displaced individuals seeking refuge in the United States to help them eventually obtain permanent residence. The successful implementation of the Displaced Persons Act after World War II serves as evidence of the effectiveness of a sponsorship program that brought in 400,000 displaced persons to the United States, despite its imperfections.

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Reimagining Displacement Responses

The global landscape is witnessing a surge in forced displacement due to conflicts, climate change, and other calamities. The Russian invasion of Ukraine last year alone forced approximately 6 million to seek refuge elsewhere, pushing the global number of displaced individuals to a record-breaking 100 million. At least in part, the crisis at the U.S. southern border is fueled by such global developments.

The international community, including the United States, must acknowledge the urgency of adopting new approaches to address these challenges effectively. Drawing from successful historical examples like the resettlement of displaced persons after World War II, and recent parole programs for Afghans and Ukrainians even if they were only temporary measures as implemented, the United States can lead by adopting a comprehensive paradigm that ensures permanent residence for applicants with ties to the country or other developed nations.

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Moving Beyond Asylum

While asylum remains a crucial tool, it should not be the sole mechanism for addressing displacement. By collaborating with other countries and leveraging ties to the United States, a new approach can be forged. This includes a broader policy of sponsorship, which empowers private citizens, non-profit organizations, and faith-based groups to provide vital support and foster a sense of community among displaced individuals. Such an approach would alleviate the burden on the federal government and facilitate assistance in crucial areas such as housing, food, healthcare, employment, and integration into American society.

Building A New System Of Protection

As the humanitarian crisis at the southern border escalates, it is evident that a comprehensive and adaptable system is necessary to address the challenges of modern displacement. While refugee law remains essential, a broader policy of sponsorship presents an opportunity to strengthen the existing asylum system. By collaborating with other countries we can provide much-needed support and a fresh start to displaced individuals while shouldering our responsibility to address this mounting problem on a global scale. It is time for the United States to lead the way in building a robust humanitarian protection system that meets the needs of the 21st century. While America alone cannot solve the international displaced persons crisis, working with other countries it can at least help to make it less of a problem.

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