• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. US & Canada
  4. US border plan risks undermining basic human rights: UN
US & Canada

US border plan risks undermining basic human rights: UN

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Jan 18:53
  • 1 Shares

The United Nations warns of US President's new controversial border plan, which could undermine international human rights.

  • Migrants gather at a crossing into El Paso, Texas, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 (AP)
    Migrants gather at a crossing into El Paso, Texas, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 (AP)

A new US border plan risks undermining fundamental international human rights and refugee law, the UN rights chief warned Wednesday.

"The right to seek asylum is a human right, no matter a person's origin, immigration status, nor how they arrived at an international border," the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said.

Last week, US President Joe Biden announced a new plan to expand the controversial policy known as Title 42, allowing the immediate rejection of people showing up at the border without clearance.

The plan permits the fast-track expulsion to Mexico of some 30,000 Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Cubans, and Haitians each month.

"These measures appear to be at variance with the prohibition of collective expulsion and the principle of non-refoulement," Turk warned.

Read: Title 42 applies to all migrants into the US, but not Ukrainians

The international principle of non-refoulement guarantees that no individual should be sent back to a country where they would face torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Even before the expansion, "Title 42 has already been used by US immigration officials some 2.5 million times at the southern border to expel people to Mexico or their home country without an individualized assessment of all their protection needs accompanied by due process and procedural safeguards," the UN rights office pointed out.

The White House has said it hopes the new tough plan will stem numbers of migrant and asylum seekers arriving after dangerous journeys organized by smugglers.

To try to appease criticism on the left, Biden said up to 30,000 qualifying migrants will be permitted each month into the US from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua after having applied in their home countries. They need to have a US sponsor and undergo background checks.

Read: Immigrant deportation soar by 29% in 2022, amounting to 4.7 million

The UN rights chief welcomed "measures to create and expand safe and regular pathways."

However, he said that such initiatives should not come at the expense of fundamental human rights, including the right to seek asylum and the right to an individual assessment of protection needs.

Turk also expressed concern about individuals who are most in need of asylum and those in vulnerable situations, saying they were unlikely to meet the restrictive requirements for humanitarian parole, including having a financial sponsor in the US.

He reiterated his call for refugees' and migrants' rights to be respected and protected at international borders.

"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," Turk pointed out.

"Rather than vilifying them and stripping them of long-recognised rights, we should be seeking to govern migration humanely and safely with full respect for the human rights of every individual."

  • United States
  • United Nations
  • Venezuela
  • US President Joe Biden
  • Nicaragua
  • UNHCR
  • Haiti
  • Cuba
  • Volker Turk
  • Human Rights

Trending Now

All
US President Joe Biden is flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris as he speaks about US-Mexico border security and enforcement on Thursday, January 5, 2023 (Reuters)

Biden admin proposes policy to restrict asylum access from South

Most Read

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

  • US & Canada
  • 22 Mar
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference on 25, February, 2022. (AFP)

Kiev unable to launch counteroffensive: Zelensky

  • Europe
  • 25 Mar
Europe's move has only increased Putin’s esteem outside the West -- but estimation of Europe’s political nous and understanding of Russia, however, is sharply diminished.

Lawfare Comes into Fashion: The New Geo-political ‘Rack’

  • Analysis
  • 25 Mar
President Joe Biden listens as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 3, 2023 (AP).

Hersh: Nord Stream explosion decision possibly 'anger' or 'punishment

  • US & Canada
  • 25 Mar

Read this

All
Ukrainian tank crews look at a depleted uranium shell. (YouTube)
Europe

UK instructs Kiev troops on depleted uranium ammo use: Declassified UK

  • 28 Mar
Kiev's counteroffensive in spring to be 'decisive': US army secretary
Europe

Kiev's counteroffensive in spring to be 'decisive': US SECARMY

  • Today
Israelis protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system in 'Bnei Brak' near 'Tel Aviv', occupied Palestine, March 23, 2023 (AP)
Palestine

Israeli opposition: protests will continue

  • Today
US troops patrol in their military vehicles near the Syrian border on 17 December 2020 (Reuters)
MENA

Biden officials say less strikes on Syria to come for meantime: NYT

  • 28 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS