Immigrants, advocates, and immigration lawyers claim that hundreds, or even thousands, of immigrants, are being turned away from US borders by officials, even when claiming asylum. On the US border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana, several Mexican and Central American asylum seekers have been referred to authorities in Mexico for an interview with US officials, only to be turned down by those Mexican authorities. This is according to immigrants and immigration lawyers.
Other areas have allegedly seen US border agents telling immigrants that they have reached their daily asylum case quota or that asylum seekers still need a US visa, a statement that immigration advocates say is contrary to the law. US Customs and Border Protection spokesman, Michael Friel, says that asylum procedures, which are designed to protect some of the most vulnerable and persecuted people in the world, have not been subjected to any changes in policy and that abuse of those procedures is not tolerated.
But, immigrant advocates are alarmed by the increasing number of reports of problems. Kathryn Shepherd, a lawyer at the Washington-based advocacy group, The American Immigration Council, claims she has testimony showing that the abuses are happening daily at border crossings in Arizona, San Diego, McAllen, and El Paso.
A complaint has been filed by six organizations, including the council with the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Department of Homeland Security, of which Customs and Border Protection is a part.