Why Are You Even Here? The Surprising Attitudes of Some Expats in Thailand

[rooster59]

Migrants in caravan at U.S. border bide time ahead of crossing

By Delphine Schrank

 

Members of a migrant caravan from Central America line up to receive breakfast at the end of their journey through Mexico, prior to preparations for an asylum request in the U.S., at a shelter in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico April 27, 2018. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

 

TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) - Central American migrants from a caravan through Mexico languished in shelters in the border city of Tijuana on Thursday, waiting for promised legal advice ahead of a planned crossing together to the United States to seek asylum.

 

A few minutes walk from the U.S. border, dirt-smeared children in a packed migrant shelter carved out spaces to play amid bundles of clothes. Men took turns shaving with a single electric razor while women lay pressed against walls.

 

Many were exhausted by a month-long journey through Mexico that drew the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump, who pressured Mexico to stop the migrants before they reached the border.

 

Marbel Llaneh, 33, leaned against a friend laying on the floor and wondered when her life would return to some kind of normality. The pair had fled Honduras, escaping abusive partners. Life had become so untenable, said Llaneh, that the alternative was "life on the streets."

 

"I really miss working," she said. "I miss cooking."

 

But what she missed most, she said with eyes watering, was her second child, a 15-year-old she regretted leaving behind in Honduras. She brought her youngest, a bony 8-year-old, to try to find a safer life away from his violent, alcoholic father.

 

Several more buses of migrants were due to arrive in Tijuana on Thursday and organizers expected a total of around 400 would make it there this week.

 

'WATCHING CLOSELY'

 

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said on Wednesday her agency was watching the caravan closely and would prosecute anyone who illegally entered the United States or made "a false immigration claim."

 

Nielsen's statement echoed previous comments from Trump that suggested agencies were pouring more officials and immigration judges into the area to handle any surge from the migrant caravan.

 

Dana Marks, a spokeswoman for the National Association of Immigration Judges, said her organisation had not heard about any new plan "despite what is implied in the press."

 

"I assume they are just referring to business as usual and our ability to handle whatever work we are assigned," she said.

 

U.S.-based advocacy group Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which organised the caravan, is bringing in immigration lawyers this weekend to speak with migrants before a planned crossing together into the United States on Sunday to ask for asylum.

 

Human rights groups and lawyers have warned that the Trump administration has been violating both U.S. and international law by increasingly charging asylum seekers with illegal entry.

 

For many in the group, the hardships of forging a new life in Mexico was not worth the insecurity they would face, even with the same language and similar culture to their home countries.

 

As poor migrants from Central America, they feared they could be robbed, raped and assaulted. The caravan offered their only protection, they said.

 

After Trump first pressured Mexico to break up the caravan in early April, Mexican immigration officials offered short-term visas to the group that would allow them to legally cross Mexico. Those 20-day passes have now expired, which makes them vulnerable to arrest on the streets of Tijuana.

 

Andres Rodriguez blinked back the sun with a bloodshot eye as he smoked a cigarette. He figured he was better off trying his luck crossing to the United States than staying in Mexico.

 

Back in El Salvador, his son had received repeated death threats from criminal gangs and he was convinced that he had to get to the United States to give the studious teenager a chance to go to university.

 

Rodriguez said he would enrol his son "on day one."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-28

[goldenbrwn1]

Any one of those sad tales could of come from anywhere in the US or any other developed nation. They are economic migrants and it’s up to the US whether they can cross the border on that fact alone. 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Any one of those sad tales could of come from anywhere in the US or any other developed nation. They are economic migrants and it’s up to the US whether they can cross the border on that fact alone. 

 

Indeed. They've all got so many hard luck stories. And so many turn to crime to supplement the handouts they demand.

 

I know several people who emigrated to Canada with their families from the Middle East. Everyone followed the required procedures and processes and all work and are law abiding. 

 

People willing to do things illegally to get into a country aren't going to become suddenly law abiding. 

[biggles45]

"For many in the group, the hardships of forging a new life in Mexico was not worth the insecurity they would face, even with the same language and similar culture to their home countries"

 

What rubbish, no free welfare money in Mexico. 

 

[riclag]

I went to San Diego for a Baseball game last year. These are google pics that remind me of some of the Homeless people,people down on their luck.I don't know how many are American Citizens or illegal aliens.

Why do the liberal progressive activist  continue to ignore what's in their own back yard! So sick of America being a social welfare state for the intolerant left. 

These people coming from other countries through Mexico will no doubt have a better situation then these ,that's so wrong.

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by riclag

[Expatthailover]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Indeed. They've all got so many hard luck stories. And so many turn to crime to supplement the handouts they demand.

 

I know several people who emigrated to Canada with their families from the Middle East. Everyone followed the required procedures and processes and all work and are law abiding. 

 

People willing to do things illegally to get into a country aren't going to become suddenly law abiding. 

Plenty of illegals from vietnam came to oz and have forged wonderful lives.

This 'too many of them not enough of us' twaddle perpetrated by trump is to appeal to his trailer park trash and white supremacist fan base.

These immigrants arent stealing the jobs of his good ol boys.

They arent a burden on health as you need insurance to get health.

His policy is nothing more or less than lowest common denominator red neck politics which serves him well it seems

[DrTuner]

Pick young pretty women, healthy children and young strong men. Since it is economic, they are the ones with best ROI.

[riclag]

The USA brings in well over 1 million legal immigrants each year.This nonsense that we are racist and white supremacist because we want to stop these caravans  is a attack by the progressives  .American citizens deserve a better life more than aliens from other countries.

https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/special-reports/legal-immigration#LPR

[simple1]

16 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Indeed. They've all got so many hard luck stories. And so many turn to crime to supplement the handouts they demand.

 

I know several people who emigrated to Canada with their families from the Middle East. Everyone followed the required procedures and processes and all work and are law abiding. 

 

People willing to do things illegally to get into a country aren't going to become suddenly law abiding. 

With relevance to the OP, unless the US has enacted domestic legislation contrary to international law,  it is not illegal to claim asylum at a border crossing.

 

Stats from US agencies demonstrate those granted refugee status are less likely to commit crime than US citizens.

 

https://research.newamericaneconomy.org/report/is-there-a-link-between-refugees-and-u-s-crime-rates/

Edited April 28, 2018 by simple1

[simple1]

27 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

I think you may have missed the point or chose to ignore it. Thers no debate around the laws on immigration and how they work. But the simple point being made is  a great proportion of applicants are pouring it on . Bull##it that is. 

With regard to the OP what facts do you facts do you have to backup your argument? 

 

Again take at a look at the URL I provided, it shows that people from Latin America / Caribbean has an allocation of only 1,500 refugees for 1/10/17 - 30/09/18, so far only 398 admitted entry based upon vetted refugee status; makes nonsense of the hyperbole.

[goldenbrwn1]

7 minutes ago, simple1 said:

With regard to the OP what facts do you facts do you have to backup your argument? 

 

Again take at a look at the URL I provided, it shows that people from Latin America / Caribbean has an allocation of only 1,500 refugees for 1/10/17 - 30/09/18, so far only 398 admitted entry based upon vetted refugee status; makes nonsense of the hyperbole.

From personal experience. Only yesterday I needed a 30 day extension here in Thailand due to unforeseen circumstances. I bloody poured it on. And that was just for a 30 day extension. I can only imagine the bo##ox I would of came out with if I were one of those poor souls.

Edited May 21, 2018 by goldenbrwn1

[simple1]

1 minute ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

From personal experience. Only yesterday I needed a 30 day extension here in Thailand due to unforeseen circumstances. I bloody poured it on. And that was just for a 30 day extension. I can only imagine the bo##ox I would of came out with if I were one of those other poor souls.

So just an opinion, plus you're not going through 'extreme vetting' as ordered by Trump for refugee applicants, therefore no comparison whatsoever.

[goldenbrwn1]

6 minutes ago, simple1 said:

So just an opinion, plus you're not going through 'extreme vetting' as ordered by Trump for refugee applicants, therefore no comparison whatsoever.

I’m talking about human nature. And here’s a ? to Trump for extreme vetting. Hopefully Europe will start to take note. Immigration is the number one concern in most western countries.  Extreme immigration vetting win votes and elections which has been proved of late. 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, CharlesSwann said:

I have first-hand experience of how immigrants will cheat to get round the law. In the UK, my fiance's best friend's sister was being set up with a fake marriage in order to get entry. I was scandalised they were talking about this openly in front of me, though I was the only Brit in the room and they obviously trusted me.

And she was Chinese - who I credit with a bit more decency than most nationalities. It is easy to imagine what the more unscrupulous nationalities get up to. They will stop at nothing to get in.

 

And from first-hand experience I can assure you that the reasoning behind it is quite simple:

1. Home country = s***hole.

2. Target country = paved with gold.

3. We want a piece of that.

None of which has relevance to the OP which is about Central American nationals seeking asylum, primarily from gang violence.

 

Did you report the person/s in your story to UK police?

Edited May 21, 2018 by simple1

[Scott]

Troll posts and replies removed.   You can stop with the making of unsubstantiated claims.  

 

The stories told may seem untruthful to some, sad to others and everything in between.   The cases are judged on the merits of their asylum claim, which is very specific.   It does not matter how old they are, how rich or poor they are or how life has dealt them a bad hand.   In the end they will be granted or denied based on the 5 convention rules (and any others that any particular gov't may wish to put in place).  

 

The immigration people are well aware of the hardluck stories and the embellishment.   The granting of refugee status is given on the basis of objective claims and known conditions in the country.   There is a subjective element which has to do with the credibility of the claimant, so it is in their best interest to be honest and specific.  

 

I screened upwards of a thousand applicants for asylum when I worked in the field.   The majority were screened out.   Many had heart-wrenching stories, but they were not refugees and they were ultimately returned to their home country.  

 

Refugee status is given to those facing a well founded fear of persecution, and that is when groups of people are denied protection from continued abuse by their government.  

 

Stay on topic, please.