Advertisement

The Right To Asylum In The U.S.

47:12
Download Audio
Resume
Migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers board a bus in Mexicali, Mexico, Thursday, April 26, 2018, for a two-hour drive to Tijuana to join up with about 175 others who already arrived. Lawyers planned free workshops on the U.S. immigration system on Friday and Saturday as many planned to seek asylum starting Sunday at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest. (Hans-Maximo Musielik/AP)
Migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers board a bus in Mexicali, Mexico, Thursday, April 26, 2018, for a two-hour drive to Tijuana to join up with about 175 others who already arrived. Lawyers planned free workshops on the U.S. immigration system on Friday and Saturday as many planned to seek asylum starting Sunday at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest. (Hans-Maximo Musielik/AP)

With David Folkenflik

A caravan of Central American migrants, requesting asylum in the United States. The Trump administration says fraudulent claims will be prosecuted. Setting up a clash over the right to asylum in America.

Guests

Jean Guerrero, fronteras reporter for KPBS, where she covers immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. (@jeanguerre)

Hogan Gidley, deputy White House press secretary. (@hogangidley45)

Alex Mensing, project coordinator with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, the immigrant rights group that organized the caravan of Central American migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. (@alex_mensing)

From The Reading List

KPBS: "Central Americans Will Seek Asylum At Southern US Border" — "U.S. officials say San Diego's border crossing has reached capacity even before a caravan of Central American migrants criticized by the Trump administration began to seek asylum.

A statement Sunday from U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the nation's busiest border crossing can take in additional people as space and resources become available.

In a written statement, Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said, 'At this time, we have reached capacity at the San Ysidro port of entry for CBP officers to be able to bring additional persons traveling without appropriate entry documentation into the port of entry for processing. Depending upon port circumstances at the time of arrival, those individuals may need to wait in Mexico as CBP officers work to process those already within our facilities. As sufficient space and resources become available, CBP officers will be able to take additional individuals into the port for processing. CBP will communicate with Mexican authorities for operational awareness on this issue of capacity within CBP facilities as appropriate.'"

A caravan of Central Americans reached the border separating Tijuana and San Diego yesterday—several dozen sought to seek asylum here—but U.S. border officials said that they don’t have the capacity to hear their cases. A White House spokesman is among those joining us. Plus, we’ll also learn about a powerful new museum that’s just opened in Montgomery, Alabama dedicated to the history of lynching in this country.

This hour, On Point: the right to asylum in the U.S. and reconciling America’s racist past.

- David Folkenflik

This program aired on April 30, 2018.

Related:

Advertisement

More from On Point

Listen Live
Close