U.S. locks up asylum-seeking Mexican journo

Border journalist Charles Bowden has a gripping story in Mother Jones about a small town reporter who is forced to flee Mexico and seek asylum in the U.S. because his coverage offends the soldiers who are occupying his town as part of the president's war on the drug cartels.

The military is the biggest cartel in town, which is partly why the local general is so touchy about media coverage.

When the reporter, Emilio, arrives at the border with all his documents in order and his 15-year-old son in tow, he is immediately incarcerated in a private immigration prison:

What he gets is this: He is immediately jailed, as is his son. They are separated. He is taken to El Paso and placed in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center run by Deco, Inc. He is deloused, given a blue jumpsuit, and set to work scrubbing floors for a dollar a day. He is denied bond, and no hearing is scheduled. Had he entered the United States illegally and then asked for asylum, he would be eligible for bond. But since he entered legally and asked for asylum at the port of entry he is kept in prison because the Department of Homeland Security declares that Emilio has failed to prove that he "would not pose a danger to the community.

Emilio eventually gets out, thanks to a crusading attorney, but only after an unnecessary ordeal.

Think how much it cost taxpayers to incarcerate this fully documented, law-abiding asylum-seeker and his young son.

Read "We Bring Fear".

Comments

[TB]

The U.S. government has a long history of doing stuff like this.

And by "this" I mean we only give asylum to citizens of countries we nominally stand against(e.g. Cuba, FSU, etc.).

If you're from an "ally" and you want asylum because the rulers of your country will literally put the cattle prods to your kids, again, don't come cryin' t'us, bub.

[Gabe Nichols]

Plug for my employer - Check out our recently released report on asylum seekers being placed into immigration prisons while their cases go through the system

http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/pdf/090429-RP-hrf-asylum-detention-report.pdf>U.S. Detention of Asylum Seekers Seeking Protection, Finding Prison