Hundreds of Venezuelans are demonstrating silently Thursday in camps on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border on the edge of the Rio Grande in the face of Washington’s new immigration restrictions.

Migrants consulted by EFE in Ciudad Juárez, on the border with El Paso, Texas, said that this silent protest is to denounce that they cannot return to their country, while the support they have received from Mexican authorities and civil associations is insufficient.

One of the migrants on this dividing boundary carried a U.S. flag to show that he is politically persecuted in Venezuela.

“I am here hoping to get political asylum, now I cannot go to the United States, but the flag is hope for me,” the man, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told EFE.

The migrant explained that it took 75 days to reach this city and on his journey he had four assaults, so he was struck by the announcement of the United States Government, which on October 12 implemented the immediate deportation of Venezuelans who arrive by land under Title 42.

“If we go to a shelter, the struggle would not look the same, that right now that we are out in the open it is more noticeable,” he added.

Another case is that of Zabián, who insisted that, despite immigration restrictions, the “plan is to reach the United States.”

“We ask (Joe) Biden (US president) to put his hands on his heart and think things through, there are many children who are hungry and cold,” he said.

He added that among those stranded at the border there are “good people looking for the opportunity to work.”

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AT THE BORDER

The situation reflects the humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border following Washington’s announcement two weeks ago that it promised 24,000 humanitarian visas for Venezuelans, but on the condition that they arrive by air and have a sponsor.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Venezuelans deported by the recent expansion of Title 42 have arrived at the border of Mexico, a measure that began in the Government of Donald Trump (2017-2021) that applies to land entries.

Fernando Garcia, director and founder of the Border Network for Human Rights, told EFE that “there is a humanitarian crisis” because of this rule.

“It’s a policy that expels migrants. Biden said he would be different on immigration and uses the same anti-immigrant policy as former President Donald Trump.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) announced two days ago that it was ending the controversial “Remain in Mexico”, a US program to send migrants to this country while their asylum cases were processed in US courts.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry cited in its statement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of the United States had already informed on August 8 that the end of the officially called Protocols for the Protection of Migrants (MPP) would begin.

Activists say they have left those expelled by the United States without opportunities to seek asylum and wait for the resolution of cases.