17
Oct

Ric Oberlink Weighs in on "New 'March of the Migrants'"

Published on October 17th, 2018

 

According to a recent article entitled, "New 'March of the Migrants' Timing Looks Political, Immigration Hawks Say" (Brendan Kirby, LifeZette), Ric Oberlink, executive director of CAPS, agreed the timing does indeed seem "a little curious."

"I wouldn’t be surprised if it had something to do with the U.S. midterm elections,” Oberlink told LifeZette. “It’s a clear case of asylum shopping.”

Oberlink and the article are, of course, referring to the 1,300-person migrant caravan “making its way north.” It left Honduras on Saturday, headed for the US with entire families — including men, women, children and babies, (per a Reuters report over the weekend).

Oberlink expanded by noting that under international law, people fleeing persecution are supposed to seek asylum in the nearest safe country.

"Yet many bypass Mexico and head straight for the United States,"  Oberlink said.

U.S. policy does not do any favors for Central Americans — particularly women — to encourage such a dangerous trek, said Oberlink. He pointed to a 2010 study by Amnesty International suggesting that as many as 60 percent of women and girls making the trip from Central American countries experience sexual violence. A report by an outlet called Fusion four years later pegged the estimate at 80 percent.

"People should ask, what are we doing luring people to come here?" Oberlink said.
 

Click Here to read the original article on LifeZette.

CAPS advocates for numerous policies that reform our immigration system and reduce both legal and illegal immigration, with a longterm goal of stabilizing the population in the United States. One gaping hole in our immigration system that a wall won't fix is foreigners who legally enter the United States and overstay their visas.  To make real progress in reducing illegal immigration, stricter enforcement of our visa program is needed. 

​IMAGE CREDIT: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
 

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