Conflict Alerts

Conflict Alerts # 640, 7 June 2024

The US: President Biden's executive immigration order for Mexico border
Dhriti Mukherjee

In the news
On 4 June, the White House announced new border measures after the administration of US President Joe Biden decided to impose fresh restrictions, claiming the US "must secure" its borders. Under this measure, if the average number of unauthorized daily crossings passes 2,500, other unauthorized migrants will not be allowed to cross the border. Migrants who arrive at the border but are not fearful of returning to their home countries will be removed from the US and could face a five-year bar from re-entering the US or even prosecution. 

On 5 June, the regulations came into effect and are scheduled to remain in place until the average number of unauthorized daily crossings drops below 1,500 for two weeks; however, they will be reimposed if the numbers increase. Unaccompanied minors and people thought to be human trafficking victims will be exempted from the decree. 

While announcing the executive order, Biden stated: "I will never demonize immigrants. I will never refer to immigrants as poisoning the blood of our country. And further, I'll never separate children from their families at the border. I will not ban people from this country because of their religious beliefs." 

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated: "It's window dressing. Everybody knows that if he were concerned about the border, he would have done this a long time ago." The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called the US to "reconsider restrictions that undermine the fundamental right to seek asylum."

Issues at large
First, the migrant crisis across the US-Mexico border. Since Biden entered office, more than 6.3 million migrants have been detained crossing into the US, a number higher than during the administration of previous presidents. As per government statistics, the majority of the encounters have historically involved individuals from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. However, in December 2023, 54 per cent of these encounters also included people from Venezuela (nearly 47,000) and China (nearly 6,000). A similar pattern was observed in 2021, with unauthorized immigrants from India (725,000), Canada, Brazil, and former Soviet Union countries.

Second, the US-Mexico border crisis. Under Biden's administration, the number of agents and officers on the border increased to over 24,000, while thousands of additional support personnel were added. Despite this, officials are unable to handle the influx of migrants. There is a surge management issue regarding maintaining a workforce to deal with the fluctuating situation. Between October 2021 and 2023, the number of land border encounters had more than tripled, while the number of border agents did not. 

Third, an overview of US strategies since Trump. Under the administration of former US President Donald Trump, the border policy was stricter. In March 2020, his administration invoked the controversial statute Title 42, which allowed US authorities to expel migrants and asylum seekers at the border swiftly. Under this, 400,000 were detained and expelled until Trump left office. In January 2019, his administration implemented Migrant Protection Protocols, which forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their immigration hearings. Under this policy, 70,000 were returned to Mexico, where many spent months and were often subject to gang violence. Additionally, his administration has a "zero-tolerance" policy, which empowered authorities to deport adults who crossed the border illegally. Between 2017 and 2021, at least 3,900 children were separated from their parents. 

Fourth, humanitarian law, migration and asylum. Human rights organizations looked at two issues while responding to the order- the right to asylum and the right to access safe territory. The UN highlighted how seeking asylum is a "fundamental human right and access to asylum for those in need is paramount." The UNHCR warned that a person with a "well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin must have access to safe territory and have this claim assessed before being subject to deportation." The UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) also acknowledged the "challenges posed by the increasing irregular crossings." Still, it underscored the need for measures to "respect the fundamental right to seek asylum." 

Fifth, a divided debate in the US over migration. According to a 2024 survey by the Pew Research Center, 80 per cent of Americans say the US government is handling the migrant influx poorly. Seventy per cent of Republicans consider the influx a 'crisis' while 44 per cent of Democrats see it as a 'major problem.' Democrats have proposed the creation of jobs in the US as a solution to the issue. However, 72 per cent of Republicans say expanding the wall along the southern border would help the issue. 

November 2024 | Conflict Alert # 683
Sudan: A prolonged war and failed mediations
November 2024 | Conflict Alert # 681
Trump and the Conflict in the Middle East
November 2024 | Conflict Alert # 680
Spain: Devastating Floods and its Aftermath

November 2024 | Conflict Alert # 679
India-China Border Disengagement 
October 2024 | Conflict Alert # 677
Continuing Israel-Iran-Hezbollah-Hamas Conflict
October 2024 | Conflict Alert # 675
The Israel-Hezbollah-Hamas War in the Middle East
October 2024 | Conflict Alert # 674
Sudan: SAF’s bid to recapture Khartoum
September 2024 | Conflict Alert # 672
Israel’s new phase of war against Hezbollah 

September 2024 | Conflict Alert # 671
Russia’s counteroffensive in Kursk
September 2024 | Conflict Alert # 670
Sudan: The war, famine and humanitarian crisis
September 2024 | Conflict Alert # 669
Ukraine: Russia’s Drone attacks
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 667
Brazil and Greece: Raging wildfires 
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 666
Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 665
Burkina Faso: JNIM expands toward Ouagadougou
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 663
Mpox Outbreak: Africa and Beyond
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 661
Riots and Protests in the UK: A Week After 
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 659
Nigeria: Protests over cost-of-living crisis
August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 656
Raging wildfires in North America

August 2024 | Conflict Alert # 653
Bangladesh: Three weeks of protests
July 2024 | Conflict Alert # 652
Protests in Kenya: Into the fifth week

July 2024 | Conflict Alert # 650
Suicide Bombings in Nigeria
July 2024 | Conflict Alert # 649
Afghanistan: The Doha Talks with the Taliban
June 2024 | Conflict Alert # 645
Israel: The conflict with Hezbollah intensifies 
June 2024 | Conflict Alert # 643
Israel: Challenges to Netanyahu’s War
May 2024 | Conflict Alert # 631
Australia: Protests against gender violence

April 2024 | Conflict Alert # 625
Sudan: One Year of Civil War
April 2024 | Conflict Alert # 624
The Middle East: Steady Escalation 
April 2024 | Conflict Alert # 621
30 years after the Rwandan Genocide
March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 620
Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K): A profile
March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 619
Russia: ISIS terror attack in Moscow

March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 618
Gaza: Finally, a UN Security Council Resolution
March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 617
Haiti: Continuing political instability 
March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 614
Continuing Kidnappings in Nigeria
March 2024 | Conflict Alert # 613
The War in Gaza: The Elusive Search for a Ceasefire
February 2024 | Conflict Alert # 606
Ukraine: The Battle for Avdiivka
February 2024 | Conflict Alert # 605
War expands to Rafah, the border town
February 2024 | Conflict Alert # 604
Senegal: Protests amidst the postponement of elections
February 2024 | Conflict Alert # 601
UNRWA relief fund shutdown exacerbates crises
January 2024 | Conflict Alert # 600
Haiti: Continuing Violence and Kidnappings 
January 2024 | Conflict Alert # 599
The Red Sea Crisis: Attacks and Counter Attacks

January 2024 | Conflict Alert # 597
Middle East: Blinken's Fourth Visit
March 2023 | Conflict Alert # 595
Israel-Palestine: Return of violence

March 2023 | Conflict Alert # 594
Ukraine: Battle for Bakhmut
February 2023 | Conflict Alert # 591
France: Continued protests against pension reform

February 2023 | Conflict Alert # 588
US: Air Force shoots down Chinese balloon
January 2023 | Conflict Alert # 586
Israel: Protests against proposed judicial reforms
January 2023 | Conflict Alert # 585
Sweden: Anti-Islamic protests
January 2023 | Conflict Alert # 583
Peru: Fresh protests and continuing political crisis

January 2023 | Conflict Alert # 577
Ukraine: A new military push, worsening the situation
December 2022 | Conflict Alert # 576
The EU: The new gas price capping regulation
December 2022 | Conflict Alert # 573
Russia: Drone attacks escalate the Ukraine war
December 2022 | Conflict Alert # 572
Pakistan: TTP ends ceasefire with the government
November 2022 | Conflict Alert # 568
Ukraine: The Russian withdrawal from Kherson
November 2022 | Conflict Alert # 567
Pakistan: The assassination attempt on Imran Khan

October 2022 | Conflict Alert # 563
Global Hunger Index: Four Takeaways

October 2022 | Conflict Alert # 561
Haiti: Gang violence and beyond
October 2022 | Conflict Alert # 560
Reducing Inequality Index 2022: Three Takeaways
October 2022 | Conflict Alert # 559
China: UNHRC proceeding on Xinjiang

September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 556
Iran: Protests spark against hijab rules
September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 555
EU's food waste 2022: Three takeaways

September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 553
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery 2021: Six takeaways
September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 551
Ukraine: Counteroffensive in Kharkiv and Kherson

September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 550
The UN report on Xinjiang: Four Takeaways
September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 549
Drought in Europe, August 2022: Four Takeaways
September 2022 | Conflict Alert # 547
Iraq: Al-Sadr Withdraws, Protests Intensify

August 2022 | Conflict Alert # 546
Europe: Heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts
August 2022 | Conflict Alert # 539
Iraq: The escalating political crisis

July 2022 | Conflict Alert # 536
The US: Wildfires in California, again
July 2022 | Conflict Alert # 531
Sudan: Military steps down, following protests

July 2022 | Conflict Alert # 530
Sri Lanka: Continuing economic crisis
July 2022 | Conflict Alert # 527
Libya: The continuing political stalemate

May 2022 | Conflict Alert # 516
The US: Another school attack kills 19 children
May 2022 | Conflict Alert # 512
Ukraine: 75 days of the war
May 2022 | Conflict Alert # 511
Ethiopia: Rising communal tensions

May 2022 | Conflict Alert # 510
Sri Lanka: Political crisis intensifies
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 507
Afghanistan: The rise of sectarian violence

April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 506
Mexico: Protests over continuing femicides
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 501
Israel: Al-Aqsa Mosque raids
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 500
Ukraine: The battle for Donbas
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 499
Russia: The strategic shift from Kyiv to the Donbas

April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 498
Nigeria: Over 100 killed in another gunmen attack
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 497
Ukraine: Russia's battle for Mariupol
April 2022 | Conflict Alert # 496
Yemen: Finally, a ceasefire
March 2022 | Conflict Alert # 491
The worsening economic crisis in Sri Lanka

March 2022 | Conflict Alert # 488
Russia’s Ukraine Invasion: One Week Later
February 2022 | Conflict Alert # 486
Russia’s Ukraine salami slicing
February 2022 | Conflict Alert # 485
Libya: With two Prime Ministers, a new political crisis
February 2022 | Conflict Alert # 481
Canada: Freedom convoys and a new wave of protests
February 2022 | Conflict Alert # 478
Myanmar: One year after the coup
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 477
Syria: The ISIS attack on a prison
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 476
Yemen: The warzone expands in the Houthi-UAE face-off
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 475
Burkina Faso: Another coup in Africa

January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 474
France: New round of protests over COVID-19 passes
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 472
Ukraine: Threat of Russian invasion
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 470
Iran: Two years after Qasem Soleimani
January 2022 | Conflict Alert # 468
Kazakhstan: Bloody unrest and a brutal crackdown
December 2021 | Conflict Alert # 466
COVID-19: Omicron rapidly spreads across countries
December 2021 | Conflict Alert # 464
Ukraine: The West warns Russia over Ukrainian aggression
December 2021 | Conflict Alert # 463
China: 12 million missing children

November 2021 | Conflict Alert # 459
Europe: Restrictions lead to Widespread Protests

November 2021 | Conflict Alert # 457
Cuba: Between bouts of demonstrations
November 2021 | Conflict Alert # 454
Pakistan: A month-long ceasefire with the TTP

October 2021 | Conflict Alert # 447
The US: Protests against the Texas anti-abortion law
October 2021 | Conflict Alert # 444
Brazil: Anti-Bolsonaro protests across the country
September 2021 | Conflict Alert # 441
Yemen: Houthis continue to capture territories
September 2021 | Conflict Alert # 439
Europe: Pride Marches in Serbia and Ukraine
September 2021 | Conflict Alert # 437
Brazil: Protestors call for the impeachment of Bolsonaro
September 2021 | Conflict Alert # 435
Guinea: Another coup in Africa
September 2021 | Conflict Alert # 431
Climate Change: Hurricane Ida destructs the US Gulf Coast
August 2021 | Conflict Alert # 422
Europe: Measures to curb pandemic trigger protests

August 2021 | Conflict Alert # 418
Peru: Protests a sign of challenges facing Castillo

July 2021 | Conflict Alert # 411
Wildfires: Siberia to the US
July 2021 | Conflict Alert # 409
Bosnia: 26 years after the Srebrenica Massacre
July 2021 | Conflict Alert # 405
Colombia: Two months of protests
June 2021 | Conflict Alert # 399
Myanmar: New UNGA resolution
June 2021 | Conflict Alert # 397
Myanmar: The Aung San Suu Kyi trial begins
June 2021 | Conflict Alert # 390
Burkina Faso: Another massacre in Africa

June 2021 | Conflict Alert # 386
Nigeria: Another mass abduction grips Niger state

June 2021 | Conflict Alert # 385
Colombia: The protests continue
May 2021 | Conflict Alert # 382
Israel-Hamas ceasefire: The long road to peace

May 2021 | Conflict Alert # 380
Colombia: Three weeks of protests
May 2021 | Conflict Alert # 378
Israel-Palestine: Who wants what?

May 2021 | Conflict Alert # 374
Yemen: The Battle for Marib rages on

April 2021 | Conflict Alert # 371
Pakistan: Meetings with Afghan leaders
April 2021 | Conflict Alert # 369
Israel-Syria: Continuing Missile Strikes
April 2021 | Conflict Alert # 358
India: Another Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh

April 2021 | Conflict Alert # 356
Global Gender Gap Report 2021: Main Takeaways
March 2021 | Conflict Alert # 353
Niger: 137 massacred in the latest attack by gunmen
March 2021 | Conflict Alert # 351
Yemen: Saudi Arabia announces ceasefire

March 2021 | Conflict Alert # 347
Australia: Women fight against sexual violence 

March 2021 | Conflict Alert # 345
The US: The George Floyd trial begins
March 2021 | Conflict Alert # 340
Syria: UN report calls for a complete ceasefire
February 2021 | Conflict Alert # 333
South Korea: The 'Comfort Women' issue returns to haunt
January 2021 | Conflict Alert # 222
Russia: Pro-Navalny protests turn anti-government 
January 2021 | Conflict Alert # 220
COVID-19: The Vaccine Wars
December 2020 | Conflict Alert # 200
India: Farmers' protests intensify as deadlock persists
November 2020 | Conflict Alert # 191
Pakistan: Anti-French protests called off

October 2020 | Conflict Alert # 174
Bangladesh: Protests intensify against sexual violence
October 2020 | Conflict Alert # 167
India crosses 6 million-mark in COVID-19 cases

September 2020 | Conflict Alert # 166
Pakistan: The persisting polio problem
September 2020 | Conflict Alert # 156
Pakistan: Targeted Violence continues in Waziristan
September 2020 | Conflict Alert # 154
The anti-Racist Protests in the US: Between
August 2020 | Conflict Alert # 148
Israel and UAE normalize relations
August 2020 | Conflict Alert # 146
Bolivia: Protests against the Election postponement
August 2020 | Conflict Alert # 138
In Iraq, the protestors return to the streets 

July 2020 | Conflict Alert # 118
J&K: Geelani's Exit and Continuing Violence

June 2020 | Conflict Alert # 105
Black Lives Matter brings the US to its knees
May 2020 | Conflict Alert # 86
Libya: Khalifa Haftar announces ceasefire 

May 2020 | Conflict Alert # 81
India: The surge in violence in J&K
April 2020 | Conflict Alert # 71
Afghanistan: 300 Taliban prisoners released
April 2020 | Conflict Alert # 67
Syria: New UN Report on Idlib
April 2020 | Conflict Alert # 64
A lethal impact on the Refugee/Migrant Camps 
March 2020 | Conflict Alert # 51
Coronavirus & China: Fall in numbers 
March 2020 | Conflict Alert # 47
Coronavirus & Nepal: In the second stage, cancels
March 2020 | Conflict Alert # 44
Two Presidents in Afghanistan
March 2020 | Conflict Alert # 42
'Aurat March': A New beginning across Pakistan 

March 2020 | Conflict Alert # 38
Sri Lanka withdraws from 30/1 Geneva Resolution

February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 35
A ceasefire between Israel, Islamic Jihad in Gaza
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 34
Libya: rivals withdraw from Geneva peace talks

February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 33
India: Violence in Delhi
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 32
Afghanistan: Seven Days of Peace
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 31
Climate Change Fallouts: Impacts the Bird population
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 28
Pakistan: Court convicts LeT founder Hafiz Saeed
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 27
Pakistan: Suicide terrorism returns to haunt Quetta
February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 26
Afghanistan: The US-Taliban Seven Day Deal

February 2020 | Conflict Alert # 24
Israel: Violence in post  Trump-deal
January 2020 | Conflict Alert # 20
Kenya: Al Shabab and a week of killings
December 2019 | Conflict Alert # 19
Citizenship Amendment Bill:2019
November 2019 | Conflict Alert # 18
Lebanon: PM Hariri quits, but protests continue 

October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 16
Bolivian unrest
October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 15
Hundreds protest in Haiti
October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 14
Protests rock Chile

October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 13
Hong Kong Violence: A divide within
October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 12
Spain: The trouble in Catalonia
October 2019 | Conflict Alert # 11
Turkey's Offensive in Syria
August 2019 | Conflict Alert # 9
Africa to be Polio Free
August 2019 | Conflict Alert # 7
Myanmar: Teenage girls traded as brides to China
August 2019 | Conflict Alert # 6
Moscow Protests: Thousands rally in Moscow

August 2019 | Conflict Alert # 3
Jordan Restores diplomatic ties with Qatar