“Transferring funds meant for disaster relief to instead pay to prevent asylum-seekers from seeking safety in the US is policymaking at its worst. Instead of pursuing real solutions to the plight of families fleeing Central America, the Trump administration pursues drastic measures that will only perpetuate the inhumane treatment of people seeking asylum.
The administration seeks to both increase ICE detention beds and continue to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols that forces asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico – short-sighted policies that only harm the very people they claim to protect while circumventing democratic processes.
The transfer of funds from FEMA to ICE is happening just as Tropical Storm Dorian is set to hit Puerto Rico, meaning already vulnerable communities on the island will have even less support. This move will only exacerbate the suffering of families and rob the island of much-needed humanitarian funds.
The Trump administration must pursue real policy solutions that address the crippling poverty, weak governance, and violence in Central America – the real reasons people flee Central America in the first place.”