Humanitarian crisis grows at U.S. southern border

Violence, climate change, rising poverty, and COVID-19 are forcing thousands of people from northern Central America, Haiti, and other places in crisis to flee their homes. Many, including unaccompanied children, have undertaken a dangerous journey to the United States southern border to ask for asylum.

Seeking asylum is legal under both domestic and international law—even during a pandemic. People arriving at the U.S. border have the right to request asylum without being criminalized, turned back to danger or separated from their families.

Leer en español: ¿Qué está pasando en la frontera sur de Estados Unidos?

After years of attacks on asylum seekers by the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration has taken key steps to ensure people fleeing violence and persecution can exercise their legal right to seek safety. However, more work is urgently needed to build a safe, orderly and humane asylum process.

Find out what’s happening, what the Biden Administration must do, and how you can help.