LA JOYA, Texas — Under the scorching Texas sun with temperatures right at 100 degrees in La Joya, Texas, a U.S. Border Patrol supervisor displays empathy for asylum seekers who just crossed the dangerous water of the Rio Grande to arrive on American soil.
“I ask you do me a favor," the federal agent said, "when you’re done with the bottle, please throw it away in the trash.”
Most of the 16 migrants detained by Border Patrol say they are from Nicaragua.
Last week, The United Nations Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet issued a damning report on Nicaragua’s deteriorating human rights situation. She told the U.N. Human Right Council in Geneva, Switzerland, unprecedented numbers of people are fleeing the Central American country because of the ongoing socio-political, economic and human rights crises in Nicaragua under the dictator Daniel Ortega.
One of the migrants stopped by Border Patrol said, “the reason we came here is because of the social-political turmoil happening in our country.”
Nicaragua is one of dozens of nations worldwide heading in the same direction.
To raise awareness to World Refugee Day, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) calls for protections of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants leaving dire conditions in their home countries.
SPLC reports, “In 2022, more than 100 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and extreme poverty."
The U.N. Refugee Agency now estimates more than 8 million refugees will leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
SPLC also said that only 11,411 refugees were allowed into the United States for fiscal year 2021. That's the lowest number since Congress passed the 1980 Refugee Act for individuals fleeing persecution from country of origin. This number is far below the U.S. cap of 62,500 refugees for 2021.
The SPLC went on to say they make an "urgent call upon the administration for equitable protections for refugees and asylum seekers, especially for those who face discrimination and abuse. As we commemorate World Refugee Day, the SPLC remains committed to defending the rights of all migrants to receive a just, humane and welcoming immigration system honoring their human rights.”
One Nicaraguan asylum seeker said he needs help from the American government.
“This is opportunity to overcome. To help our families to establish a future for the next generations.”
In May, U.S. Customs and Border Protection saw 239,000 encounters along the southwest land border in May, 2% more compared to April.