Human Rights on the Southern Border Toolkit
This map shows common travel pathways taken by Central American migrants on their way through Mexico to the U.S. Southern Border.
GIF by UNICEF
The Human Rights Watch U.S. Program’s immigration work focuses on reforming harsh, outdated, and ineffective detention and deportation policies to ensure they take into account family unity, flight from persecution, and labor challenges that draw immigrants to the United States.
STF’s goal is to raise awareness about the geographic reality of the 2,000 mile southern border, why people cross it, and support the work of HRW researchers by advocating to end the deadly deterrence policies that violate human rights.
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What’s Happening Along the U.S. Southern Border?
At a time when migration around the world is at historic highs, more than 2.4 million migrants were apprehended trying to cross the US-Mexico border between October 2022 and September 2023. A year earlier, more than 2.3 million people were stopped, which was more than the 1.7 million arrests made the year before. (New York Times)
The United Nations declared the US-Mexico border as the deadliest migrant land route in the world. In the first eight months of 2023, over 500 people died while trying to travel from Mexico (New York Times).
One of the main reasons this land route is so deadly for migrants is that the US government has implemented multiple policies known as “deadly deterrence policies” meant to keep people from trying to cross the border. One of the most well-known examples is Title 42, which was a public health policy used during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, when Title 42 ended in May 2023, the Biden Administration implemented a new asylum rule (HRW).
Under the new asylum rule, many asylum seekers face expedited removals, arbitrary detention, prosecution, and a five-year ban on returning to the US unless they make an appointment at select US land border ports of entry using “CBP One” prior to crossing the border. CBP One is a difficult-to-access phone app that often fails to recognize faces with darker skin tones. This process can take several months and exposes asylum seekers to systematic targeting by cartels and Mexican government officials for kidnapping, extortion, sexual assault, and other harms (HRW).
In addition to federal efforts to keep people from crossing into the US, states like Texas are implementing their own deadly deterrence policies. Operation Lone Star (OLS) was launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbot in 2021 to “combat crime along the Texas-Mexico border and capture more immigrants trying to enter the United States”. There are currently over 10,000 soldiers along the border under Operation Lone Star. Human Rights Watch has extensively documented the impact of Operation Lone Star, finding the program has led to injuries and deaths, increased racial profiling of border residents, consistently violated the rights of migrants and asylum seekers as well as US citizens, and suppressed freedom of association and expression (HRW).
In June 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ramped up his already ruthless border approach by installing razor wire and buoys with circular saws in or near the Rio Grande. Under Operation Lone Star, high-speed vehicle pursuits and the accidents they cause in communities throughout south Texas are a threat to public safety, with harmful consequences for migrant passengers and Texas residents alike. Human Rights Watch found that at least 74 people have been killed and 189 injured since the policy began in March 2021 (HRW).
Deadly deterrence policies that criminalize migrants and block asylum seekers are ineffective and lead to more loss of life. Such policies do not stop people from migrating and rather compel them to cross more remote, dangerous areas of the border. Human Rights Watch and the Student Task Force are calling on the Biden administration to respect the right to seek asylum, create safe pathways for migration, and work to create a humane, rights-respecting border that puts human rights over politics.
Important Vocabulary
Someone who is seeking international protection from dangers in their home country but whose claim for refugee status hasn’t been determined legally. They must apply for protection in the country of destination, meaning they must arrive at or cross a border in order to apply (IRC).
Watch this video to learn how the asylum seeking process works in the United States. (Click to watch, 1:40)
Educational Resources
Why Are People Fleeing?
How to Seek Asylum in the U.S.
Asylum Seeker Testimonies
Debunking Immigration Myths
Advocacy Goals: How Can You Make a Difference?
Petition Congress
Join HRW immigration experts and other STFers by getting signatures to fight deadly deterrence policies. Petitions will be hand-delivered to U.S. Congressional Representatives in the coming months.
U.S. Border Exhibit
Host a U.S. Southern Border Exhibit on your campus, giving students a real-life simulation experience of what it’s like to reach and cross the border into the United States as an asylum seeker. (Click to watch a tour of the exhibit, 4:18)
Guest Speaker
Invite a guest speaker in person or virtually to engage your school community in the campaign. Contact the STF Team to learn more about this opportunity.
Film Screening
Screen “The Real Death Valley”, a documentary that showcases the little-known story of hundreds of migrants who have died in the sweltering Texas brush while trying to evade a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint. Film resources available here.
Take Action: If You Only Have...
60 Seconds
- Bookmark this toolkit for quick access
- Create google alerts for “migrant”, “southern border”, and “Title 42” to stay current on this campaign
- Read our important vocabulary section
5 Minutes
- Find out why people are fleeing Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela
- Read about the joint letter from 77 Congressional representatives condemning the Biden administration’s deadly deterrence policies
- Read this glossary of important U.S. immigration terms
- Watch this video to learn about the asylum seeking process in the U.S. (Click to watch, 1:40)
30 Minutes
- Explore the testimonies and visuals of Venezuelans traveling across the dangerous Darién Gap on their way to the U.S.-Mexico border
- Learn 8 facts about U.S. immigration
- Follow a migrant family as they seek asylum in the US and end up in New York City under El Paso’s busing program (Click to watch, 25:55)
- Learn about Title 42, the COVID-era immigration rule still being used to expel migrants
Educator's Portal
For educators interested in teaching students how to build empathy around Human Rights on the Southern Border please explore the resources below.
Seeking Asylum in the United States
Students will be able to identify asylum as a path to lawful status in the United States and explain the main criteria for receiving asylum. Students will also evaluate the asylum application process.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Social Sciences
Grades: 9-12
History of U.S. Immigration Policy
This collection of eight lessons from Brown University’s Choices Program gives students historical perspective on American immigration policy to help frame the current situation and challenges.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Social Sciences
Grades: 9-12
Why People Leave the Northern Triangle
This lesson plan uses a video and resources from KQED news to teach students the driving factors of migration from countries in the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador).
Subjects: English Language Arts, Social Sciences
Grades: 9-12
Immigration Stories Project Unit Plans
The Immigrant Stories Project contains three units with multiple lessons that teach students aspects of US immigration, past and present, through the personal experiences of immigrants.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Social Studies
Grades: 8-12