16 May AESCO denounces the violation of the rights of Colombian people deported from the US
STATEMENT
The entity denounces that the North American Administration fails to comply with international treaties and urges the Biden Government to put an end to abuses at the borders
America, Spain, Solidarity and Cooperation (AESCO) is an entity committed to the defense of migrants and the inalienable right guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, specifically with its article 13- “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country”. As a public utility NGO in Spain, with more than 30 years of history defending the rights of migrants, we reject and denounce the cruel and degrading treatment received by Colombians deported from the United States. Faced with this situation, we express the following:
-The fundamental rights of people deported from the United States to Colombia are violated, causing mistreatment and despair in those who migrate, by not receiving information about the places to which they will be transferred. All affected people must be informed of their situation at the border as soon as possible: know if they will be deported, or if their request to remain in the territory will be accepted.
-The agreements on the treatment of people returned to Colombia have been breached. Taking the Colombian Migration reports as a reference, we can consider that those who are deported are treated as war criminals: handcuffing them hand and foot, even women mothers of families.
The ill-treatment not only occurs during the transfer of these people from the United States to Colombia, but also in the detention centers: where they are stripped of all their personal belongings and receive food in poor condition, which has generated poisoning. All of the above clearly violates international treaties and the rights of migrants.
We urge the Administration of President Joe Biden to act and stop this violation of fundamental rights. Migrating to seek a better quality of life is never a crime. Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, y Juan S. González – Special Assistant to President of the United States – should take action on the matter.
In addition, we call to US Representative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to verify and denounce this action by the US authorities.