Smith: To suggest Biden administration is presiding over an ‘open border’ simply defies reality

With elections less than three months away, immigration will remain one of the major issues. What, however, is the reality? 

Here is a report based on four trips to Juárez, El Paso, Deming and Palomas in the last two months, the most recent on August 15 and 16. One of the main goals was to check with the migrant shelters in these four communities to see how and if the numbers of migrants had changed. The changes have been dramatic.

The Sacred Heart Church in downtown El Paso has a large auditorium across the alley behind it which until recently would house well over 100 migrants. On August 8, however, there were only 12. The woman in charge turned down my offer of clothing and shoes and would only take one bag of beans and one of rice.

At the end of the alley where it joins Father Rahm Street, I encountered several young Venezuelans who were waiting for hearings. One of them – Gabriel Lunas – had found work while he awaited his hearing and had even made a business card in English and Spanish.

Across the international bridge and in the center of Juárez is the Respettrans shelter which we have been helping since 2021. Historically it would have 150-200 migrants. On my last two visits, there were only between 45 and 50.

Luis David Medina from Honduras. (Photo: Morgan Smith)

The Colores United shelter in Deming run by the dynamic Ariana Saludares was closed when I was there on August 15. The Punto Beta shelter across the border in Palomas and located in the fire station only had five migrants. All had farming jobs while they waited for hearings. A young man named Oscar from Honduras shows me his cell phone. For over two months, he has been making daily applications for an asylum hearing but has had no response.

In short, the numbers are down dramatically. This is due to two factors. First, at President Biden’s request, the Mexican government has restricted access at its southern border. Second, the Biden executive order of early June has made the asylum process much more difficult.

So to suggest that the Biden administration is presiding over an “open border” and an “uncontrolled border” simply defies reality.

What could change this? The re-election of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela on July 28. Roughly 25 percent of Venezuela’s population (seven million of 28 million) have already fled the country during his regime. These numbers may accelerate as a result of what all observers believe was a totally fraudulent election and Maduro’s unwillingness to step down.

This last trip ( August 16) was also an opportunity for an early morning “ride along” with the Border Patrol, my fourth since 2022. Despite having been denied the funding they need for more agents in particular, these agents do extraordinary work. I don’t agree with the mantra that building more walls is the answer but the ongoing process of reinforcing the existing wall west of El Paso clearly makes sense.

A Venezuelan boy outside the Sacred Heart shelter in El Paso. (Photo: Morgan Smith)

Another innovation is the construction of a steep road up the flank of Monte Cristo Rey which can give agents much better visibility into Anapra, Mexico where cartels bring groups of migrants to wait for the right moment to attempt a crossing. As we looked down from the flank of the mountain, however, we saw a group of about eight kids along the ridge line. They were lookouts or scouts for the cartels. Sadly, this is the only employment for kids like this and, according to the agents with us, can be quite profitable. This is a huge challenge throughout Mexico. How do you offer decent employment to young people so that they don’t become new recruits for cartels?

We also witness several detentions, one of which included a 27 year old Honduran man named Luis David Medina who had crossed solely for the purpose of finding work so that he would have money to send back to his wife and two children in San Pedro Sula. Why has there been no effort to expand our guest worker programs so that men like him could move back and forth legally, help us in areas where we need workers and also make money to support his family?

Border life is in constant flux but one thing is clear. The migrant surge has been dramatically reduced. If this also reduces the political temperature, perhaps there will be an opportunity for rational solutions like more Border Patrol agents. Let’s hope.

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Morgan Smith, a retired lawyer and government official from Colorado who now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Smith writes regularly on border issues. He has been going to the border – mostly Juarez and Palomas – at least monthly for the last 13 years to document conditions there and assist a variety of humanitarian programs and, more recently, migrant shelters. The column appears in the Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the author. Smith can be reached by email via morgan-smith@comcast.net.

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