MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Pressure is mounting at the Texas-Mexico border now that Title 42 has come to an end. Migrants trying to get into America are now in limbo waiting there.
There is a lot of uncertainty now as the U.S. has reverted back to a policy that was previously in place called Title 8.
These new rules now in place aim to crack down on illegal crossings, hoping to instead set up legal pathways for immigrants to cross into America.
However, for those who seek asylum and travel from countries in South and Central America, they would first need to seek asylum in their home countries before traveling through Mexico.
"We're excited about that victory but frankly we're concerned about the Biden Administrations revival of transit bans," Sharon Dove, director of the justice program at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, said. "The effect of the policy is to deny asylum to anyone passing through another country before they get to the U.S.-Mexican border."
Dove said it's a policy that was put in place by the prior administration but is now back. She said she believes the ongoing economic and political struggles could hamper the safety of those traveling.
Jina Krause-Vilmar, president and CEO of Upwardly Global, told WCNC Charlotte that other countries are seeing thousands of asylum seekers also, which is creating a backlog of asylum cases.
"Most countries like Panama, Columbia and Ecuador have long waiting times as well as some people that are detained while asylum cases are pending," Krause-Vilmar said. "We also know it's not safe in Mexico and in many of these countries that people have to go through."
The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy confirmed that there are a number of national nonprofits already drafting up litigation to try and end the transit ban, among other things inside the new laws.
Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.