Amnesty International on Thursday condemned the US government for systematically violating the right to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border, asserting that current policies violate both domestic and international human rights obligations.
In its briefing titled “Lives in Limbo: Devastating Impacts of Trump’s Migration and Asylum Policies,” Amnesty International detailed how executive actions and increased border militarization under the administration of President Donald Trump have left thousands of asylum seekers stranded in Mexico without legal avenues for protection.
Director of the refugee and migrant rights program at Amnesty International USA Amy Fischer criticized the administration’s approach, stating: “The Trump administration has made the U.S.-Mexico border a zone that is overtly hostile to human rights and displays utter disregard for the humanity and dignity of people on the move.”
Amnesty International emphasized that the crisis has worsened due to the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for key humanitarian organizations at the border. Amnesty International emphasized that many groups previously supported by USAID and other government programs can no longer provide shelter, legal aid, and humanitarian care. The rights group pledged to continue documenting abuses and urged Mexico to stop cooperating with US immigration policies that endanger asylum seekers.
Since resuming office, Trump has issued multiple executive orders drastically altering US policy on citizenship and immigration. One order completely suspends the entry of undocumented migrants, citing an “invasion” at the southern border. The order also states that individuals who reach US soil “are restricted from invoking” asylum protections. Additionally, migrants who cannot provide satisfactory medical and criminal records are barred from entry. To enforce these measures, Trump has deployed thousands of troops to support Border Patrol operations, further tightening border security.
Another major policy shift includes the unilateral termination of the CBP One smartphone application, which, over the past two years, helped over 936,500 asylum seekers in Mexico secure appointments at designated US ports of entry. The sudden shutdown of the app left thousands stranded, with no clear path forward.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly opposed Trump’s immigration directives, underscoring her commitment to upholding national sovereignty and safeguarding the rights of Mexican nationals abroad. Despite Mexico’s official stance, however, thousands of asylum seekers who predominantly come from Central and South America remain in legal limbo, stranded in precarious border regions as diplomatic tensions between the US and Mexico intensify.
The rights of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are protected under the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 208, which explicitly guarantees that any individual physically present in the US has the legal right to apply for asylum if they face persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Similarly, the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol prohibit the forced return of refugees to danger. The 1990 Migrant Workers Convention further upholds the rights and dignity of migrant workers and their families, shielding them from exploitation and abuse. Additionally, Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the fundamental right of individuals to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries when fleeing persecution.
