HRW: Americas governments offering inadequate protections for asylum seekers and migrants

Americas governments offering inadequate protections for asylum seekers and migrants, says HRW

New York – Governments in the Americas are failing to provide adequate protection for asylum seekers and migrants, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The 117-page report, “Closed Doors: The Americas’ Failure to Protect Asylum Seekers and Migrants,” documents how governments in the region have adopted policies that make it difficult or impossible for people seeking asylum to enter and remain in their territories.

These policies include:

• Closing borders and increasing deportations
• Detention of asylum seekers and migrants
• Lack of access to fair and efficient asylum procedures
• Discrimination against asylum seekers and migrants

These policies have resulted in thousands of people being stranded at borders, detained in inhumane conditions, and denied access to asylum. In some cases, they have also led to the deaths of asylum seekers and migrants.

“Governments in the Americas have a legal and moral obligation to protect asylum seekers and migrants,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “But instead of fulfilling this obligation, they have adopted policies that make it harder for people to seek asylum and put their lives at risk.”

The report is based on research conducted in eight countries in the Americas: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 200 asylum seekers and migrants, as well as government officials, lawyers, and advocates.

The report finds that governments in the Americas have adopted a range of policies that make it difficult or impossible for people to seek asylum. These policies include:

• Closing borders and increasing deportations: In recent years, governments in the Americas have closed their borders to asylum seekers and migrants, and increased the number of deportations.
• Detention of asylum seekers and migrants: Many governments in the Americas detain asylum seekers and migrants, often in inhumane conditions.
• Lack of access to fair and efficient asylum procedures: Asylum seekers in the Americas often face long delays in having their claims processed, and they may not have access to legal representation or other forms of support.
• Discrimination against asylum seekers and migrants: Asylum seekers and migrants in the Americas often face discrimination from government officials, law enforcement, and the general public.

These policies have resulted in thousands of people being stranded at borders, detained in inhumane conditions, and denied access to asylum. In some cases, they have also led to the deaths of asylum seekers and migrants.

“The Americas is a region that has a long history of welcoming asylum seekers and migrants,” Vivanco said. “But in recent years, governments in the region have turned their backs on this tradition and adopted policies that have made it harder for people to seek asylum and put their lives at risk.”

Human Rights Watch called on governments in the Americas to adopt policies that protect asylum seekers and migrants. These policies should include:

• Opening borders to asylum seekers and migrants
• Releasing asylum seekers and migrants from detention
• Providing access to fair and efficient asylum procedures
• Ending discrimination against asylum seekers and migrants

“The Americas can and should be a region where asylum seekers and migrants are welcomed and protected,” Vivanco said. “But this will only happen if governments adopt policies that respect the rights of all people.”