November 2, 2022
Call for the end of Title 42, a cruel U.S. policy against Asylum Seekers
As you know, the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to grow, with no clear end in sight. There is a dire need for both medical care AND rational public policy regarding access to healthcare for populations in transit at the border. That is why Doctors of the World has launched its new U.S. based Border Health Program. The program focuses on improving health outcomes of migrants and asylum seekers in transit at the Texas border town El Paso.
When our first patient, Luis, arrived in El Paso, TX he had to make a choice: receive medical treatment for severe pneumonia but remain in U.S. custody, or be released to travel freely within the U.S. but risk severe health complications, including death, from his pneumonia. What choice did he really have?
Unfortunately for Luis, this was not the first impossible choice he’s had to make. When his beloved wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer, he had to find a job that could pay enough to cover the cost of a life-saving hysterectomy. In his country, Venezuela, such a job did not exist. So, he had to make a choice: remain by his sick wife’s side or leave her (and his country) to find a job opportunity in the U.S.
A growing number of migrants & asylum seekers have been crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in the past few years
Luis is one of thousands of immigrants that face seemingly impossible choices every day to leave their loved ones and home in search of better opportunities. That is why Doctors of the World and its partners in El Paso are committed to the success of the Border Health Program (BHP). We are proud of the work we’ve done so far, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you in the upcoming months.