During an informational panel on Wednesday, February 13, a group of Fort Lewis College professors tackled issues such as migrants seeking asylum, as well as discussed the organizations which are making a difference in what seems like a hopeless situation for some.
FLC professors Benjamin Waddell, Carolina Alonso, Janine Fitzgerald, Ruth Alminas, and Paul DeBell, accompanied by Durango’s Director of Los Companeros, Matt Karkut, left January 10 - 14 for a five day trip to Tijuana.
The panel, discussed the issues, culture, and life along the Mexico-U.S. border, as well as overlooked the time these professors spent at this border, as well as near San Diego, assisting and volunteering in some of these organizations.
Fitzgerald and Alminas worked with World Central Kitchen to make meals for these migrants who have become stuck at the border, unable to make it back to their home countries.
Alminas also provided help to Al Otro Lado, an organization which helps immigrants understand U.S. asylum policy, their rights under that the asylum policy, and even what to expect in anticipated asylum interviews.
Waddell volunteered at Casa del Migrante, a home for migrants aiding in transitioning into everyday life after being denied asylum, helping them find jobs and get back on their feet.
All of these professors underwent this journey with the aspiration to make a difference at the border, while simultaneously raising awareness to this current crisis.
“We are not okay, if our brothers and sisters on the border are not okay,” said Fitzgerald, a professor in sociology.
In hopes of sparking conversation within the Durango community, these professors addressed issues along the border begging to be brought to light and needing desperately to be discussed, issues which are often swept under the rug.
“They are fleeing because of something bigger than themselves, they’re not leaving their hometowns, they’re not leaving their communities, and the countries they were born into because they want to” says Waddell, a professor in Sociology.
Waddell says he hopes people realize the reasons behind why people are fleeing their home countries and none of these reasons are by choice.
“They are either fleeing because of violence, they’re either fleeing because of jobs, or they’re fleeing because of the political situation and persecution they’re facing, migrants aren’t coming here because they want to, but because they have to,” says Waddell.
Alminas, a professor in political science, says that of the migrants who seek asylum at the border, 89 percent pass the initial fear interview, and of this percentage only 17 percent make it past a judge’s ruling to become accepted into our country.
Not only did Alminas speak on the low rate of asylum acceptance into our country, but also the time it takes to gain approval.
“The backlog in some federal districts at this point is a couple of years,” Alminas said.
Alminas also addresses a crucial issue with our border at this moment, the fact that the United States of America is not following its own laws pertaining to asylum.
“The law says once you approach a U.S. port of entry, you can initiate this process, but we’re not allowing them to approach the port of entry,” Alminas said.
Fitzgerald spoke on the unjust limits of seeking asylum, the pick and choose process of what the government considers plausible reasons for fleeing a country and seeking asylum.
According to Fitzgerald, forms of harsh treatment in migrant’s countries, such as gang violence and union abuse, are not considered viable reasons for seeking asylum, treatments which have the potential to threaten the well-being of people’s lives and families.
Alonso, a professor in Borders and Languages, brought to attention the cruel acts against LGBTQ peoples at the border.
According to Alonso, there are high levels of violence against LGBTQ peoples at the border, including assassination attempts on their lives, forcing them to separate from the original caravan of migrants approaching the border.
DeBell, a professor in political science, offers a sense of hope, providing evidence from national polls, asking U.S. citizens their own opinions on immigrants.
These polls suggest that while there may be negative connotations surrounding immigrants in our country, many U.S. citizens agree that not only are immigrants good for our country, but they strengthen our country.
In revealing how the process of asylum is just as difficult as it is time consuming, the professors open the door to lively conversation, encouraging questions from Durango community members in hopes of raising awareness to an often hushed topic.