Yesterday, after reports that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were again illegally turning away asylum seekers, U.S. Representatives Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and Nanette D. Barragán (CA-44) went to the border and tried to investigate. Gomez and Barragán met 19 asylum seekers at the Otay Mesa port of entry, located just outside of San Diego. One of them was Maria Meza, the mother whose photo went viral when she and her two young daughters were forced to flee tear gas fired by border patrol agents last month. All of the 19 migrants were attempting to make legal claims for asylum.
Barragán said CBP originally told them that they would only take unaccompanied minors at that location and everyone else must go to the San Ysidro port of entry. Turning away asylum seekers is not only against the law; it’s something CBP has claimed it doesn’t do. The agents last night claimed “capacity issues” at the Otay Mesa port of entry, but did not provide any proof of such issues to Barragán and Gomez.
.@RepBarragan gave an update on the situation this afternoon. #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/BrJb8mZbVV
— Families Belong Together (@fams2gether) December 18, 2018
San Ysidro is the the largest port of entry in the United States and it is the location where migrants like Maria Meza and her children were recently tear gassed by CBP. Gomez and Barragán continued to stay with the asylum seekers into the night, pressing their right to make their claims. As the night wore on, CBP put up a barricade closing in the asylum seekers and both members of Congress. The group stayed outside in the cold night without answers from CBP for the delay in entry. The children sang children’s songs and Disney anthems.
After 7hrs, I can now confirm:
Maria Meza & her kids — featured in this @Reuters image fleeing tear gas at the border last month — just filed for asylum.
They’re on American soil.@RepBarragan & I are still here observing conditions on the ground. #RefugeesWelcome @fams2gether pic.twitter.com/t8cEDRtGIQ
— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) December 18, 2018
Sitting outside on the ground, @CBP has enclosed us, they keep telling us they’re at capacity, but won’t show me or @RepBarragan what the issues are.
It’s been 8 hours.
We’re not going anywhere.#RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/AG3Pf9ZqaR
— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) December 18, 2018
Hour 11. Been here since 2pm. Still waiting for asylum seekers to be processed and @CBP to show us their capacity issues. We are not leaving the Otay Mesa facility. Guess we’ll be spending the night. pic.twitter.com/bVbmDGxuER
— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) December 18, 2018
We have been lucky to have been supported by two stalwart members of Congress, @RepBarragan and @RepJimmyGomez, who have advocated for the asylum seekers throughout the night.
— Ava Benach (@avabdc) December 18, 2018
Spontaneous song. These are the kids @CBP is afraid of. @avabdc @karalynum @GregChenAILA pic.twitter.com/p1C6IJEbmz
— CBrownImmLaw (@cabrown08) December 18, 2018
The kids are singing Let It Go (in Spanish) from Frozen.
These are the kids the US government is not allowing to process for asylum. @GregChenAILA @avabdc @cabrown08 @ImmCivilRights pic.twitter.com/Zxx3PH0XVW
— Kara Lynum (@karalynum) December 18, 2018
It’s freezing. The sidewalk are slick from the temperature and the humidity. And yet @CBP refuses to process asylum seekers who are LAWFULLY PRESENTING at a port of entry. A 3 year old sleeps out in the cold bc CBP is violating the law. @avabdc @AlOtroLado_Org @karalynum
— CBrownImmLaw (@cabrown08) December 18, 2018
After a 20+ hour wait and pressure from the members of Congress, all of the group — including Maria Meza and her children — were brought into the facility, processed, and allowed to present their asylum claims.
“Good news: late last night, Maria’s family and unaccompanied minors were allowed to present themselves and pass through at the port of entry. We’re hopeful that more refugees will be allowed to do the same. Seeking asylum is their right. #RefugeesWelcome”
— Families Belong Together (@fams2gether) December 18, 2018
As Rep. Gomez summed up the frustratingly long and painful experience: “I’ve left the US-Mexico border with more questions than answers.”
I’ve left the US-Mexico border with more questions than answers.
▪️Is US & Int’l law being correctly applied?
▪️What’s this capacity issue @CBP cited & why wouldn’t they let us confirm it for ourselves?
▪️How many migrants are seeking asylum & why are they being turned away?
— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) December 18, 2018
Check out CBrownImmLaw, Ava Benach, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, Rep. Nanette Barragan and others on Twitter for more updates and videos and pictures from last night.
So much gratitude for @RepBarragan and @RepJimmyGomez, who showed up, spoke up, and never gave up the fight to force the US government to comply with domestic and international law. They made this moment possible. After nearly 20 hours, all 20 asylum-seekers at #OTAYPOE are in. pic.twitter.com/cUPGOyZmh7
— R. Andrew Free (@ImmCivilRights) December 18, 2018
