Remain in México… Indefinitely? U.S. Border Externalization Policies to México & the Northern Triangle: A Growing Humanitarian Crisis for Migrants & Government and Non-governmental Organizations

Abstract

The United States government's response to the recent increase in migration from Mexico and the Northern Triangle of Central America(NCTA) countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) has resulted in the implementation of policies, such as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and Title 42, that have restricted migrants from exercising their right to seek asylum in the U.S. Border Externalization entails “efforts by wealthy, developed countries to prevent asylum seekers and other migrants from reaching their borders, often by enlisting third countries or private entities.” Due to the heterogeneous and ubiquitous character of contemporary immigration enforcement, these policies are no longer confined to the border but have extended into internal geographies. Border externalization policies at and beyond the border have led to Mexico being referred to as El Corredor de la Muerte (the "Corridor of Death”) owing to the human rights violations and predations from criminals and government authorities that transit migrants face en route, which have increased the risk of death and created a humanitarian crisis for migrants, overburdening the resources of government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to assist migrants in the region. Through an exploration of U.S. policies such as Prevention Through Deterrence (PTD), Title 42, and MPP, as well as U.S.-Mexico-Northern Triangle border enforcement cooperation, asylum processes in Mexico, and NGO responses, this thesis asserts that border externalization policies deny migrants of the due legal processes to which they are entitled. In particular and most recently Biden’s proposal to deny asylum seekers of the right to avail themselves of a lawful, safe, and orderly pathway into the United States compels them to seek protection in countries of transit, thereby shifting the responsibility for migrant protection and human rights from the United States onto different actors such as the Mexican and Northern Triangle governments and non-governmental organizations. Border externalization policies not only make it more dangerous for migrants as they make their journey northward, but they also violate the United States’ obligation to protect the human rights of migrants. Policies that require migrants to seek asylum in third-party countries cause NGO resources to be overextended to the point where they are no longer transient resources, but long-term resources supporting people waiting for their asylum applications to be processed. Through volunteering and conducting observational research and direct interviews with migrants at La 72, a migrant shelter strategically located in the town of Tenosique, Tabasco, near the Mexican-Guatemalan border, I gained a firsthand understanding of how these policies impact the journeys of migrants. Most importantly, at La 72 I witnessed the negative impacts policies that require migrants to “Remain in Mexico” have on migrants, non-governmental organizations such as La 72, and government organizations like the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance(COMAR). In the end, this thesis argues that the United States has an obligation to provide additional resources to these countries that go beyond funds to aid the policing of the border. These resources are to ensure that organizations supporting migrants in transit have the capacity to meet the increased demand for services caused by externalization policies. This thesis also calls for the United States to reestablish the norms and practices integral to upholding due processes for asylum seekers to make it to the United States. In doing so, the United States government reaffirms its commitment to the protection of human rights and of asylum seekers.