{"id":21813,"date":"2019-08-08T10:33:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T14:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/?p=21813"},"modified":"2019-08-08T10:34:26","modified_gmt":"2019-08-08T14:34:26","slug":"asylum-guatemala-safe-third-country-immigrationreform-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2019\/08\/08\/asylum-guatemala-safe-third-country-immigrationreform-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeking Asylum in Guatemala is Completely Appropriate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Even before the ink could dry on the recent \u201csafe third country\u201d asylum agreement signed between the United States and Guatemala, mainstream media and open borders advocates claimed that the Northern Triangle country is not suitable for migrants seeking asylum. One went so far as to call it \u201cjaw-droppingly insane<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is<\/em> insane is\nthe reluctance of many to recognize the gains \u2013 economic, political, and\nsocial\u2013 that have taken place in Guatemala over the last decade and enable the\ncountry to offer safe haven to those who are genuinely fleeing persecution from\ntheir governments.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new \u201csafe third country\u201d proposal between the United\nStates and Guatemala requires migrants passing through Guatemala to apply for\nasylum there before applying for asylum in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the last decade, Guatemala has significantly improved its country\u2019s conditions making it a suitable destination for migrants seeking refuge. Guatemala\u2019s Minister of Governance, Enrique Degenhart, who signed the \u201csafe third country\u201d agreement with President Trump, confirmed that his country has seen notable economic and security<\/a> progress in recent years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degenhart is right. The Guatemalan economy has improved over the last decade. Between 2007 and 2017, their annual GDP more than doubled,<\/a> increasing from $34 billion to $76 billion. Meanwhile, the country\u2019s unemployment rate fell<\/a> from 4.13 percent in 2011, to 2.73 percent in 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degenhart is also right when it comes to the country\u2019s progress in improving its security. In fact, between 2011 and 2017<\/a>, the Guatemalan homicide rate dropped from 38.6 per 100,000 individuals to 19.0 per 100,000 individuals. That means the nation\u2019s homicide rate is lower that of some U.S. cities<\/a>, such as St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit, and yes, Elijah Cummings\u2019 Baltimore.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Guatemalan-American who has journeyed throughout the\ncountry many times with family and friends who still reside there, I can attest\nto the fact that Guatemala is transitioning from a developing nation, to one\nwith an economy in transition and a stable political climate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Central Americans who transit through Guatemala on their way to the United States are searching for better economic opportunities. However, seeking better economic opportunities does not qualify someone for asylum in the United States, which is why immigration courts approve asylum for only 11 percent<\/a> of asylum seekers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also worth noting that a recent poll found that 91.1 percent<\/a> of Guatemalans who do migrate, are doing so in search of better wages. Those Guatemalan migrants are not<\/em> fleeing persecution. More importantly, there is no reason to believe that anyone seeking asylum in Guatemala would be subject to such persecution at the hands of the Guatemalan government.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The humanitarian and public safety crisis at the border created by those wishing to exploit our asylum laws is rampant. Asylum applications have soared, rising from 42,836 in FY 2008 to 162,060 in FY 2018 \u2013 a 278 percent surge.<\/a> It only makes sense to keep migrants from making a perilous journey to seek asylum for which they will not qualify. Some<\/a> 30 percent of women report being sexually assaulted and 70 percent of all migrants report facing violence during this trek. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, seeking safe haven in Guatemala isn\u2019t as\neconomically lucrative as seeking safe haven in the U.S.  But asylum isn\u2019t about seeking the best\neconomy, it\u2019s about seeking refuge from a government that\u2019s persecuting you.\nAnd on that front, Guatemala fits the bill. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Even before the ink could dry on the recent \u201csafe third country\u201d asylum agreement signed between the United States and Guatemala, mainstream media and open borders advocates claimed that the Northern Triangle country is not suitable for migrants seeking asylum. One went so far as to call it \u201cjaw-droppingly insane.\u201d\u00a0 What is insane is the<\/p>\n

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