Community Circle focuses on the human experience of the migration process

Panelists featured:

• Alexandre Padilla: Professor and Chair of Economics Department, MSU Denver
  Alex Padilla is a Professor of Economics, the Department Chair, and the Director of the Exploring Economic Freedom Project at Metropolitan State University of Denver where he has taught economics since 2002. 
  
  He has published multiple papers on the impact (or non-impact) of immigration on economic institutions and policies. Padilla holds a bachelor, a master, and a doctorate in Economics from the University of Law, Economics, and Sciences of Aix-Marseille III in France. 
   
• Jennifer Piper: Program Director, American Friends Service Committee 
  Jennifer Piper was born and raised in Denver, CO where she grew up on Catholic social teachings in a union family. She graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelors of Social Work and later on in her received her Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
  
  Since 2003, Jennifer has worked extensively to accompany immigrant leadership, study immigration policy ,and policy advocacy. She received the  Amos award from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, the Mary Rhodes award from the Sisters of Loretto and the Community Champion award from the I Drive Colorado Campaign. 
   
• Selky Azaah: Quality Assurance Personnel, U.S Migrant
  Selky Azaah is an immigrant who fled from Cameroon to the USA via South America due to  political and Racial crisis in Cameroon. He is a former pastor, a father of two children and a husband. Selky has been featured in two RMPBS interviews sharing his valuable lived perspective on the state of migrationa and immigration. 

Beginning with lived experience

The panel kicked off with insights from Azaah, who migrated to the U.S through South America. He was seeking asylum after facing torture, harrassment and assault from Cameroon government forces for  selling tshirts without permission. 

Azaah shared the challenges he faced at each turn; from escaping attempts at his life in Cameroon, forcing him to leave his family in his mother’s nearby village, to even more moments where his life was at risk like catching Malaria in Ecuador, or his treacherous trek across the Darien Gap, an unforgiving area of jungle that migrants from South America are forced to cross. 

According to Azaah, the trip across the Darien Gap took eight8 days despite the fact it was only supposed to take two.The guide left after two. In addition to no resources, robbers, physically grueling conditions and the danger of predators, Azaah and others in his group were forced to walk dead bodies from others who hadn’t survived the journey.

“It’s something I never expected, and something I never want to expect to happen to anybody.”

Once Azaah finally arrived in the U.S he was put in a detention center, where he learned his cousin had been shot as revenge for his escape, and his grandmother and other cousin had also passed. 

Once released from the detention center, Azaah spent three3 years working and sorting paperwork so his wife and children could eventually join him. 

What causes people to migrate to the U.S?

Professor Padilla and Piper agreed that U.S foreign policies play a huge role in migration. Many are forced to migrate to the U.S when their own homes become unbearably violent. 

One example Padilla presented was the war on drugs. Forcing drugs underground has made it profitable to be a drug lord, and the competition in the drug world can lead to violent battles for power. 

Padilla also pointed to colonialism, where European countries “artificially create” countries in traditionally multi-cultural places. Padilla says when the colonies eventually left, it often led to civil war and conflicts where the oppressed wereare violently pursued and dominated, much like what Azaah encountered. 

At this point, Padilla says many people have no choice but to “break the law,” because it becomes a question of life or death. 

Do we have the resources to support migration efforts?

When the debate over migration and immigration rises, oftentimes concerns are raised regarding the resources it takes to support these individuals. 

According to Piper, the choices we’re making about how we use resources is more impactful than a lack of resources itself. Piper says that due to fees and a lack of staffing from the Trump administration, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services  (USCIS) has an extremely long processing time. This can increase the money we spend on for-profit detention hold centers, border militarization, and border town surveillance. 

“We could take a portion of these funds and make these processing times shorter so family members are reunited more quickly,” she summarized. 

Piper also noted that the U.S lacks a resettlement effort compared to many other countries.

“Most of the places that resettle migrants and refugees are countries nearby the countries people are fleeing,” she explained.  “But that’s not an option for everyone. Not everyone can be safe enough in a nearby country, or have the resources needed to sustain their family. “

Piper said this is why it’s important for Western cCountries, including the U.S., to join in the international resettlement efforts.

“I think there’s a big misconception among Americans that we are doing most of the resettling when we’re actually not, and particularly the last 8 years or so we haven’t done a big piece of it. So it’s kind of time for us to recommit to making sure people are safe from death,” she said. “I believe that we do have the resources to resettle folks, and more importantly to address the root causes.”

Padilla pointed out that the U.S has a lot of space, but doesn’t make the best use of it. He acknowledged resources can be limited, and aligned with Piper in saying the decisions on how they’re used are a bigger issue than scarcity itself. 

“You can use the resources to build a wall, and for all that bureaucracy, or you can use those resources to admit more immigrants and help them assimilate faster.”

Padilla also highlighted that there could be an option to increase immigration fees. He said due to the complicated immigration process, many immigrants and migrants are forced to use underground services, or “Coyotes,” to take them on unsafe journeys across borders. These guides can cost $10,000 to $15,000 per person to hire. 

Padilla argued that  money spent underground could be funneled into our government’s legal services if the immigration process was less convoluted. “I don’t think there’s a system of laws that is more complex [than immigration],” he said.

Padilla concluded, “We keep forgetting the root cause of why people cross the border illegally, and why people need to use illegal and exploitative systems to escape a life of violence.”

Later, he added “If we want to talk about money, we are leaving a lot of money on the table by making it far more difficult for very talented people to come to the U.S.” 

Padilla says those who arrive here via immigration are risk takers, which is a major factor in what makes an entrepreneurial spirit. 

How to help

Many community members were curious how they, as caring individuals, could help. 

While held in the detention center, Azaah was visited by advocates from Denver Community Church who wwere able to help him navigate not only the immigration system, but acclimating to a new culture. These people became friends to Azaah, and the sense of community they developed was life-changing for him. Finally, he felt the semblance of home.

Azaah was also part of the creation of the Colorado Immigrant Justice Fund. The visiting advocates who eventually became like family to Azaah were inspired to start this once they raised money for a lawyer to help him avoid deportation. Now, Azaah is a chair on the board. He also speaks for other organizations and creates content of his own. 

“That is my own part of contribution towards freeing immigrants,” he said.

Piper said there are opportunities to host people who have applied for asylum, or who are examining options, as well as people released from detention centers who need resources. Beyond that, she said there is value in offering friendship, lessons in assimilation, rides, and the general comfort of not being alone after enduring immense tragedies. 

Proposed Solutions

When it comes to the policy aspect, the panel has some clear suggestions.

Piper suggested that instead of putting up barriers, the U.S should restaff and train at ports of entry. She said the process at ports of entry used to be less convoluted for asylum seekers. 

“We need to place them into processes that value their safety, their humanity, that authorize a work permit so they can support themselves while they’re waiting, and on a pathway to permanency in the U.S.”

She also highlighted two bills that would aide this process: The Registry Act, and the New Way Forward Act.  

According to Padilla, “Public policy will not change until people change their views on immigration.”

He explained how easily misconceptions about immigration are formed - through political agendas, media indulging in the horror stories, and other modes of information society is fed daily. 

Padilla says we need to have more empathy to both those seeking asylum, and those who don’t understand due to the conflicting messages they’re fed. He also acknowledged many everyday people don’t have the time or capacity to investigate these issues on their own.

Azaah agreed that misinformation from politicians is a huge problem, and causes a lack of empathy. He shared the story of an anti-immigration person he encountered, and that by simply talking to him and sharing his life he was able to change his perspective. 

Azaah said this messaging also impacts the treatment in detention centers. He asked a border patrol guard, ‘why are you treating us like this?’ to which the guard simply responded, “Because we didn’t invite you here. That’s what you get.”

Needless to say, this was far from the only encounter like this Azaah faced, despite the fact he had no other choice if he wanted him and his family to live than to take the tumultuous path he did. 

“People are going through a lot. Encourage them,” he said. 

Elle Naef is a digital media producer at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach her at ellenaef@rmpbs.org.

Dana Knowles is a multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS and can be reached at danaknowles@rmpbs.org