Sending a note from the U.S.-Mexico border

and an opportunity to protect asylum-seekers [View in Browser]( [Amnesty International candle logo]( May 12, 2023: Update from Matamoros, Mexico {NAME}, I’m writing to you from Matamoros, a city in Mexico that lies right on the Texas border, where children and families are being put into overcrowded shelters and encampments as the U.S. government effectively denies their right to seek asylum. My colleagues and I are here with other human, civil, and immigrant rights leaders because when human rights are violated, we show up and take action. Starting today, the Biden administration is ramping up policies that make it nearly impossible to seek asylum at the U.S. border, and altogether denying asylum to people fleeing dangerous situations who entered the U.S. unlawfully. If President Biden doesn’t change course, tens of thousands of children, families, and people will suffer. Communities are counting on us: [If you want to help end these policies, power our work to advocate for the right of every person to seek safety by making a donation.]( Today, we should be celebrating the long-awaited end of a Trump-era policy known as Title 421, which sent asylum-seekers at the border to unsafe places in Mexico or back to the countries they fled from. But we can’t celebrate — because here’s what’s coming in its place: Effective today, the only way someone can legally enter the country at the border is if they make an appointment using a mobile phone application. Our new research (published Monday) shows that making the use of this app mandatory to seek asylum violates international human rights law.2 People and families are embarking on tumultuous journeys to reach safety, only to have their hopes erased because they don’t have a smartphone or can’t secure an appointment. A month ago, a 4-month-old baby in need of emergency surgery died because their parents were unable to successfully make an appointment.3 For those who do have smartphones, here’s what many see when they open the app each morning: [Cell Phone Alert: Time Slot Full - The selected time slot does not have enough availability to support 1 individual.]( {NAME}, no one should be denied the right to secure the safety of their family. [Help restore the right to asylum and demand change to make the U.S. immigration system functional and compassionate.]( I’m seeing firsthand that shelters are at capacity and people are forced to build encampments in the streets. The director of one shelter said that every day, the center is forced to turn away at least 10 families with children. This weekend, at least 8 people were killed and multiple others injured after a car plowed into a crowd outside of a migrant shelter on the U.S. side of the border in Brownsville — yet another appalling example of how migrant lives are at risk on the border.4 People and families are facing dire conditions, and we must act quickly. [Please rush your immediate support to advocate for asylum-seekers, refugees, and migrants.]( Ending harmful restrictions on asylum, protecting migrant rights, and saving lives at the border is an urgent priority for Amnesty International. [Your emergency donation funds critical resources to mobilize grassroots advocacy, pressure lawmakers to stop these policies, and shine a light on the dangers of these dire conditions.]( {NAME}, we cannot look away as the U.S. government endangers lives and violates human rights — it’s time to act. Thank you for making a difference, Paul O’Brien Executive Director Amnesty International USA P.S. I’m furious that the Biden administration is stacking cruel policies that make it nearly impossible to seek asylum at the border — but I’m not giving up hope. I’m as confident as ever in the power of our movement to drive change. [If you’re not ready to make a donation, you can take action by urging the Biden administration to protect families and people seeking asylum.]( [1] [( [2] [( [3] [( [4] [( [DONATE NOW]( © 2023 Amnesty International USA 311 W 43rd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036 | 1-800-AMNESTY Please don't reply to this email. You can send questions to aimember@aiusa.org. We’re so happy you’re here to hear about the most important updates on human rights! If necessary, you can [opt to receive fewer emails]( or [unsubscribe here](. [supporter]