What is different for migrants in Nogales, Sonora, a year after Title 42 ended?
This is how the migrant crisis has changed in one of the border cities in Sonora with more migrant traffic.
César Barrón
A year after Title 42 ended in the United States- Nogales, Sonora, is dealing with thousands of migrants waiting to request asylum.
May 11 will mark one year since Title 42 ended and there are several changes along the border of Mexico and the United States.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: ¿Qué es diferente para los migrantes en Nogales, Sonora a un año de haber finalizado el Título 42?
The migrant flow has increased in the area and people requesting asylum are waiting longer for their appointments.
Officials from Nogales, Sonora, are working with Customs and Border Protection and have implemented some changes that benefit all.
The migrants Long waiting times
The Mayor of Nogales, Sonora, Juan Francisco Gim Nogales, said there is a long waiting list of about 3,000 migrants in his city. The city is in charge of organizing the migrants in Nogales who are looking for asylum so they are not gathered together and sleeping on the floor or on the sidewalk leading to the Denis Deconcini Port Of Entry like they were last year.
It takes between two and five months for the migrants to be able to get an appointment through the CBP One app. However, some people have been waiting about six months without success.
Something different compared to last year is that most of the migrants looking for asylum are from other countries. Most of the migrants arriving in Nogales, Sonora are from Mexico, mostly from Guerrero, to be specific.
Maria (we changed her name for security purposes) is 22 and two months pregnant. She is originally from Puebla, Mexico, and has been in Nogales for about two weeks. She's looking to set up an appointment on the CBP app as syndicated by the United States government.
She left Puebla because she received threats from people who she saw committing crimes.
Lorena is from Guerrero, Mexico, and has been in Nogales for about five months. She’s been trying every day to set up an appointment through the CBP One app, but no luck.
For the past five months, she’s been volunteering at the shelter "San Juan Bosco" in Nogales, Sonora. She's staying at the shelter and eating there as well.
“I help in the kitchen and help with anything that I can,” said Lorena.
She said she also left home because she felt insecure. She added that she’s planning to stay in Nogales until she gets an appointment to request asylum.
The City Take action to have control
After Title 42 ended last year, hundreds of migrants were in Nogales waiting for asylum. Individuals and families were all camping along the sidewalk leading to the Denis DeConcini Port Of Entry. Since they spent days and even weeks camping there, there was an unpleasant smell and unhealthy conditions.
To avoid the same type of situation, the local authorities in Nogales, Sonora, decided to take care of it. Along with the other agencies, CBP and the Mexican Consulate, they came up with the idea of a waiting list to keep track of the next few numbers CBP is calling. They only allow the next five people or families to be there for that day. The rest are waiting at shelters, some rent houses, and some go back home while they wait for their turn in line since they know it can take months. For those who go back to their home, they return when it’s about two weeks away from their number and will keep them posted, said Mayor Gim Nogales.
At least in Nogales, some migrants have an appointment set up through the CBP One app and others are waiting at the port of entry trying to ask for asylum. Between five and 10 of those who don’t have an appointment get called in daily, said the mayor.
“Following human rights and conditions that they deserve, regardless of their nationality, we set some order, so they are not sitting and sleeping on the floor under inhumane conditions,” explained Gim Nogales.
He added that some migrants in Nogales, Sonora, who are waiting to get asylum in the United States find jobs around town, including some government jobs.