Asylum shouldn’t be the only door into the US

Yesterday, Title 42 ended. It was a false excuse to deny entry into the U.S. to apply for asylum. Now thousands of desperate people, camped out for months in northern Mexico under dangerous conditions, are hoping for a chance.
They would have plenty of company. At least 1.6 million asylum seekers were already living in the U.S. at the end of November 2022, reported TRAC (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse) at Syracuse University. They were waiting for court dates, way in the future, before USCIS or courts in the Justice Department. 

Migrating people apply for asylum because they see it as the only door open to enter the U.S. legally. Fewer than half the applicants, often those with attorneys, can convince a judge that they meet the narrow criteria for asylum. Only about 7 percent of families whose cases were moved to the front of the line through the administration's Dedicated Docket program got asylum, according to TRAC.

Members of Congress have tried, but failed repeatedly, to pass a genuine immigration reform that would open other avenues for immigration. Applicants for visas to join family often wait years for action. Meanwhile, the U.S. lacks enough farm workers to maintain its highest level of food production. Many employers in retail and hospitality cannot fill their entry-level jobs. The H-2A and H-2B programs to import foreign workers are expensive for the employer and limited to certain types of work.

The border camps are full of people longing to work and contribute to the U.S. economy. Why can’t we find a way to grant work visas to those with the skills we need?