Natalia Chi
As concerns persist over how to properly care for the thousands of immigrants recently sent to Chicago, a DePaul University professor outlines the process for them and dispels myths about their legal status in the United States. Trying to.
“Our system is very complex,” says Dr. Shaiya Sharma, dean of international studies at DePaul University and professor of refugee and displacement studies.
According to the city of Chicago, 10,019 immigrants have arrived since August 2022. Sharma said many of them are seeking asylum in the United States.
“Usually at the border you would need an asylum officer to see if they…at the surface level…had good reason to threaten their lives,” he said. “This is what we call a credible fear interview.”
Sharma said while some migrants may be able to apply for asylum in their home countries, many start the process at the border. She said the rest of the process would be in the hands of the immigration court system.
“It depends on the availability of appointments and the availability of judges,” Sharma said. “Until you actually have an interview with a judge, [the migrants] Legally permitted to stay in the United States. ”
Mr Sharma said the standards for asylum grants were “pretty high”.
“You have to prove that you are being persecuted for five reasons, including religion, race, political beliefs, nationality,” she said.
There are currently far more cases than the immigration system can handle. January data from Syracuse University’s Immigration Court Backlog Tool shows that it takes an average of 801 days for immigrants to get a court hearing in Chicago.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Enforcement has not verified Syracuse’s number.
“When an immigration court receives a charging document called a notice to appear in court (NTA) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the court will schedule the first hearing by the immigration judge on the first available date on the calendar,” the department said. spokesperson said.
Sharma also cautioned against rhetoric surrounding immigration. He said the federal government, through FEMA, is better prepared than state and local governments to meet the needs of immigrants after they arrive in the United States.
“Don’t look [migrants] “Yes, they need resources, but the city must be prepared to ask the federal government for those resources and also find a more rational way to provide them,” Sharma said. rice field. service. ”
