• Ender Gonzales, a migrant from Venezuela, rests in a shelter in El Paso, Texas. Willy Lowry / The National
    Ender Gonzales, a migrant from Venezuela, rests in a shelter in El Paso, Texas. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A migrant waves an American flag during a protest against the Title 42 immigration policy in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
    A migrant waves an American flag during a protest against the Title 42 immigration policy in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
  • Children study inside a shelter for migrants in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
    Children study inside a shelter for migrants in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A migrant cheers on protesters during a march against Title 42. Willy Lowry / The National
    A migrant cheers on protesters during a march against Title 42. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A group of migrants gather outside the Sacred Heart Church in El Paso to cheer on protesters. Willy Lowry / The National
    A group of migrants gather outside the Sacred Heart Church in El Paso to cheer on protesters. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A woman holds a sign calling for an end to to Title 42, a policy the Biden administration has been using to turn migrants away. Willy Lowry / The National
    A woman holds a sign calling for an end to to Title 42, a policy the Biden administration has been using to turn migrants away. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A migrant gives a thumbs up outside the Sacred Heart Church in downtown El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
    A migrant gives a thumbs up outside the Sacred Heart Church in downtown El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
  • Migrants hold up a Venezuelan flag during a march in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
    Migrants hold up a Venezuelan flag during a march in El Paso. Willy Lowry / The National
  • A pedestrian bridge connecting El Paso to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Willy Lowry / The National
    A pedestrian bridge connecting El Paso to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Willy Lowry / The National
  • Protesters march near Sacred Heart Church, where many undocumented Venezuelans have been staying. Reuters
    Protesters march near Sacred Heart Church, where many undocumented Venezuelans have been staying. Reuters
  • Venezuelan migrants hold their country's flag next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Reuters
    Venezuelan migrants hold their country's flag next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Reuters
  • Venezuelan migrants wave American flags during a protest to demand an end to the immigration policy called Title 42. Reuters
    Venezuelan migrants wave American flags during a protest to demand an end to the immigration policy called Title 42. Reuters

Biden’s El Paso visit leaves migrants wondering what comes next


Willy Lowry
  • English
  • Arabic

A small but determined group of protesters marched through downtown El Paso, Texas, on Saturday ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit.

Chanting “we want immigration reform,” they filed from a small concrete park nestled in the shadow of the rust-coloured fence separating the US from Mexico to a church where hundreds of migrants — many of whom do not have permission to be in America — have camped out as they try to navigate the asylum process.

As the protesters approached the Sacred Heart Church, a group of migrants, many waving American flags and some with tears in their eyes, shouted and clapped in thanks.

Many were reluctant to stray more than a few metres from the church, where they had claimed sanctuary, for fear US immigration agents might arrest them.

Among the marchers was a county commissioner and members of the advocacy group Border Network for Human Rights. They are calling on Mr Biden to rescind his expansion of Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that lets the US Border Patrol turn asylum seekers away.

The programme was enacted as a health emergency policy under the Trump administration but has also been used by the Biden government to block asylum seekers hoping to enter the US.

Mr Biden announced a new, multifaceted approach to immigration along the southern border on Thursday, which in part would include an expansion of Title 42 measures.

Under the new guidelines, migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti will have an expanded legal pathway to apply for entry into the US if they pass background checks and have a financial sponsor in America.

A Venezuelan sent back to Mexico by the US clings to the fence of the National Institute of Migration building in Ciudad Juarez. Reuters
A Venezuelan sent back to Mexico by the US clings to the fence of the National Institute of Migration building in Ciudad Juarez. Reuters

But to be eligible to apply, the migrants must do so from their home country.

Migrants caught trying to enter the US illegally will not be eligible for the new parole programme and will be deported to Mexico.

A similar framework already exists for migrants from Venezuela.

Many are fleeing economic hardship and political instability in their home countries.

“The actions we're announcing today will make things better … but will not fix the border problem completely,” Mr Biden said. “There's more that has to be done.”

Immigration advocates fear the new policy will only make things worse.

Texas National Guard vehicles along the US-Mexico border in downtown in El Paso. Reuters
Texas National Guard vehicles along the US-Mexico border in downtown in El Paso. Reuters

“The solutions that he put forward are not solutions,” said Fernando Garcia, executive director of Border Network for Human Rights. “The proposed online system didn't even work for the Venezuelans.”

A record 2.4 million migrants crossed into the US during the last fiscal year, which ended in September, overwhelming the Border Patrol.

El Paso, which neighbours the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, has received the bulk of recent migrants, forcing it to declare a state of emergency in December.

Shelters have been overflowing, with many migrants now sleeping on the streets.

Inside a welcome centre for the homeless just a few hundred metres from Mexico, Ender Gonzalez curls under an American Red Cross blanket.

Mr Gonzales, 28, walked for five months with his sister and her family to get here from his home in Venezuela, a journey that took them through the perilous jungles of the Darien Gap.

“It was really tough. There were kids crying, we were hungry,” he said.

It is unclear how Mr Biden’s new policies will affect migrants like Mr Gonzales, who are already in the US but still trying to seek asylum.

“All I can do is wait,” he tells The National.

Mr Garcia fears that many of the migrants in El Paso will eventually be deported.

“I'm afraid that based on the guidelines that were announced, the only future for them is expulsion,” he adds.

On Sunday, Mr Biden is due to spend several hours in this working-class city of nearly 700,000 people, nestled between the jagged peaks of the Franklin Mountains.

“It's great that he's coming,” says David Stout, an El Paso County commissioner.

Mr Stout says he is grateful for all of the federal assistance that El Paso received during the migrant crisis, but adds that it is time to end Title 42.

“Title 42, I feel, is a failed policy. It should not have been put in place in the first place,” he says.

Mr Biden has openly acknowledged that he does not like the policy either, but seems to have been unable to find a better solution.

A migrant seeking asylum in the US waits in Rio Bravo at the border fence between Mexico and America. Reuters
A migrant seeking asylum in the US waits in Rio Bravo at the border fence between Mexico and America. Reuters

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

Look north

BBC business reporters, like a new raft of government officials, are being removed from the national and international hub of London and surely the quality of their work must suffer.

THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court

Starting at 10am:

Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)

Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog

Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan

Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)

Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)

Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)

Court 1

Starting at 10am:

Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska

Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh

Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet

Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)

Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage

Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse

Court 2

Starting at 10am:

Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang

Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka

Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic

Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri

Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova

Court 3

Starting at 10am:

Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang

Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar

Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

SPECS
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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

UK%20-%20UAE%20Trade
%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Mobile phone packages comparison
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

INDIA SQUADS

India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar

India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul

The%20specs
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Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

Updated: January 13, 2023, 9:15 AM