El Salvador Is in No Way Safe for Asylum Seekers

In response to reports that the Trump administration will sign an agreement with El Salvador that would force asylum seekers to seek refuge there instead of the United States, Refugees International President Eric Schwartz issued the following statement: 

“Where will they declare a haven for asylum seekers next? Syria? North Korea? This is cynical and absurd. El Salvador is in no way safe for asylum seekers. Neither is Guatemala nor Honduras. That’s why thousands of Central Americans are fleeing rampant violence and criminality there. These countries simply do not have the infrastructure in place to process asylum claims. So this agreement will do nothing to stop families seeking a better life in a safe place and will instead further endanger vulnerable women, men, and children—the very people whose safety this administration claims to be concerned about.  

All these rules, agreements, and procedural hurdles are creating a paper wall on the southern border, one that is just as inhumane, immoral, and illegal as one made of metal or bricks. When history looks back on this period in the  United States, the  judgment will be harsh and unsparing.”

For press inquiries, please contact Chris Allbritton at chris@refugeesinternational.org or +1 305 741 9886.