From mid-2018 during the Family Separation Crisis to early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, The Lawyers For Good Government Travel Program enabled more than 230 attorneys and other advocates from across the country to travel to the southern border region and support people seeking safety through asylum.
The following is a reflection from Crystal, a Spanish-speaking law student, who was able to travel to TIjuana, Mexico to work with Al Otro Lado through the travel program.
L4GG Travel Fund Grant Recipient, Crystal.
I had an amazing experience working with Al Otro Lado. With dozens of families coming into the clinic every weekday, there are so many voids one can fill to assist. One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the organization’s commitment to providing a safe space for the children while their guardians participated in the clinical services. Al Otro Lado is a unique and special place because it offers a comprehensive range of services to families who need a welcoming space. Some days I interacted with dozens of children, from infants to teenagers.
I enjoyed playing a small part in ensuring that the children were enjoying themselves, which allowed their families to feel at ease knowing they were being cared for. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Mexico, but when I imagined volunteering with any legal clinic, I never thought I could feel as though I was surrounded by family.
One issue that took me by surprise was just how prominent an issue race plays at the border. I was on the ground when the Trump administration announced its restrictive policy that would render asylum seekers crossing the border into Mexico ineligible to legally cross the border through the asylum process in the U.S.
The result of such a policy would massively cut racial minorities’ access to the United States. I saw the real-world impact this had on people who have already gone through traumatic circumstances to arrive in Mexico.
To shed some light on the process, asylum seekers receive a number at the entry point that allows them to cross over and eventually enter the detention centers in the U.S. At the current rate, anyone who receives a number will likely wait several months for that number to be called, with no explanation as to why the processing is moving at a sloth’s pace and great concern over how the Trump administration might restrict most asylum seekers’ access entirely. Many days I was there, no number was called at all, but those whose numbers are next on the list must persistently arrive at the entry point every day and wait in hope that that day will be their lucky break.
When I arrived in Tijuana, the African asylum-seekers had recently staged a protest, arguing that they were not receiving fair treatment in the number-calling process. After the protests, the Black protesters were granted African representatives to participate in the number-calling process in an attempt to reduce the visible discrimination that was preventing black asylum seekers from having their number called. Even so, black asylum seekers appeared especially discouraged and agitated as they waited, with little hopes that their number would soon be called. Racial issues in the immigration process are extremely prevalent, and it’s important that Americans understand the painful journeys people are undergoing. People need to learn about the life-threatening process many asylum seekers endure to arrive in Tijuana, passing through the Panama jungle. People need to hear eyewitness accounts of the numbing atrocities happening in Cameroon that have led to so many fleeing the country, or the gang violence in Mexico and Central America that has left so many children parentless.
I highly recommend that any law student volunteer with a front line organization if they get the chance, even if it’s just for a Spring Break or a week before school starts back up. Law students are future legislators, judges, and advocates, so it’s critical to recruit and engage the attorneys of tomorrow on immigration issues to ensure progress is both gained and maintained over time. Immigration work is an experience that breeds breadth and depth to any person, and I encourage anyone to try it at least once. You’ll likely want to continue in some capacity.