New York, 13 January 2023 (TDI): The Biden Administration has implemented a reformed border policy that poses risk to basic human rights. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk said, the law is “undermining the basic foundations of international human rights and refugee law”.
The Biden Administration has the intention to use COVID pandemic-related Title 42 public health order. This health order would help to expel people i.e., refugees from the US.
The move would allow the US to “fast-track expulsion to Mexico” of about 30,000 Venezuelans, Haitians, Cuba, and Nicaraguans every month. Title 42 has already been in use through which US immigration expelled people from the southern border.
US immigration is expelling people to Mexico and their home country. On the other hand, Volker has welcomed the extension of the ‘humanitarian parole program.” To include nationals of Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua.
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He added parole, “cannot be a replacement for upholding the rights of all to seek the protection of their human rights”. The asylum seekers already experience traumatic situations and restrictive measures by the state make their situation more vulnerable.
“We hear a great deal of talk about migration crises, but in reality, it is those migrating who often are the ones truly in crisis”, said Volker. Volker insisted that this policy should not violate fundamental human rights, including asylum needs.
“These measures appear to be at variance with the prohibition of collective expulsion and the principle of non-refoulment,” the UN Human Rights chief said.
Title 42 is a clause of the 1944 Public Health service law. This allows the US government to prevent the migration of people during certain public health emergencies.
The humanitarian parole program allows an individual who may be inadmissible or ineligible for admission into the United States.
