Originally published September 29, 2023 7:58 am PDT
Amid the surging migrant crisis, distressing accounts of sexual violence against migrants awaiting entry into the United States from the Mexican border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros have emerged.
In March 2021, then-candidate Biden was shown calling on “illegal immigrants” to “surge the border.”
Now, Venezuelan migrant, Carolina, is sharing her harrowing experience with Reuters.
Previously held for ransom, she was brutally raped by her captors—a nightmare she described as “the saddest, most horrible thing that can happen to a person.”
The assault on Carolina is not an isolated incident.
Data from the Mexican government and humanitarian outfits reveal a concerning uptick in sexual violence in these cities, both critical junctions for migrants on their journey to the U.S.
Experts tie this surge to a new system implemented in May by the Biden administration, requiring migrants to schedule appointments via a CBP One app to legally cross the border.
Though intended to curb illegal crossings and the exploitation by smugglers, the policy seems to have inadvertently intensified the perils migrants face.
According to state records from 2014 to 2023, criminal investigations into sexual assaults on foreign nationals, excluding Americans, have reached an unprecedented high in Reynosa and Matamoros this year.
The U.S. State Department identifies Tamaulipas, where these cities are located, as the most perilous state along the U.S.-Mexico border.
In response to inquiries about the escalating sexual violence, Luis Miranda, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), condemned the “inhumane” and “morally reprehensible” actions of smugglers who exploit migrants for financial gain.
Experts, including legal, medical professionals, and aid workers, highlight the unintended repercussions of the new border policy.
The escalating violence and high risk of kidnapping and sexual assault are driving many migrants to attempt illegal crossings.
This echoes the sentiments of Bertha Bermúdez Tapia, a sociologist at New Mexico State University, who pointed out, “Rape is part of the torture process to get the money.”
The Gulf Cartel and the Northeast Cartel, notorious for kidnapping migrants for ransom, particularly those lacking smugglers’ protection, are active in the region, Reuters notes.
The danger intensifies as migrants spend more time in these cities, competing daily for the scarce 1,450 slots available on the CBP One app, as per the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics.
In an attempt to address the rising concerns, U.S. authorities temporarily halted the CBP One appointments in June at another border city, Nuevo Laredo, due to extortion and kidnapping worries.
However, Miranda assured that the administration’s policies allow migrants to book appointments from other parts of Mexico, eliminating the need to wait at the border.
Despite the assurances, the narratives of sexual violence continue.
Only one out of eight sexual assault survivors interviewed by Reuters reported the incident to the authorities—a telling sign of the fear that prevails among the migrant community.
Olivia Lemus, head of Tamaulipas’ human rights commission, emphasized the underrepresentation in official data as migrants are hesitant to file reports.
“Migrants are afraid to file reports,” Lemus stated. “The fact that there aren’t more reports doesn’t mean that this crime isn’t occurring.”
The grim reality of sexual violence at the border underscores a pressing humanitarian crisis, necessitating urgent re-evaluation and action from the Biden administration.
In March 2021, then-candidate Biden was shown calling on “illegal immigrants” to “surge the border.”
X owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday visited Eagle Pass, Texas to “see what’s really going on” at the Southern Border, emphasizing that more illegal immigrants in number are crossing into the city daily than there are legal residents.
Watch Musk’s interview with local officials below:
