On US-Mexico Border, Groups Help Migrants with Severe Problems
2023-01-09
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1Many migrants are arriving at the U.S.-Mexican border in need of medical and mental health treatment.
2Doctors, social workers, shelter directors, clergy and law enforcement officials say growing numbers of migrants have experienced or witnessed violence.
3Dr. Brian Elmore volunteers at a health center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
4The city is on the U.S.-Mexico border.
5Elmore has treated about 100 migrants for viruses affecting the lungs and some for emergencies.
6But he said trauma worries him the most.
7"Most of our patients have symptoms of PTSD - I want to initiate a screening for every patient," said Elmore who is an emergency doctor at Clinica Hope.
8PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder.
9It is a condition of extreme tension caused by a shocking or severe event in the past.
10But there are few resources for this kind of care.
11Shelters have been flooded by new arrivals and migrants who have been in Ciudad Juarez for months. Only the most severe cases are treated.
12"Like a pregnant 13-year-old who fled gang rapes, and so needs help with childcare and middle school," said Zury Reyes Borrero.
13Borrero works in Arizona with the Center for Victims of Torture.
14He said he visited such a girl when she gave birth.
15"We get people at their most vulnerable," he said.
16In the past six months, Reyes Borrero and a coworker have worked with about 100 migrants in Catholic Community Services' Casa Alitas.
17It is a shelter in Tucson, Arizona.
18In December, Casa Alitas was receiving about 700 people daily released by U.S. officials.
19They came from countries including Congo and Mexico.
20Each visit can take hours, as the case workers try to build trust with migrants, Reyes Borrero said.
21Most migrants are traumatized by what they left behind or what they saw on their trip, said Leonce Byimana.
22He is director of U.S. clinical services for the Center for Victims of Torture.
23He said the migrants need "first-aid mental health" as well as long-term care that is even harder to get once they leave the shelters.
24Left untreated, trauma can get worse to the point where it requires psychiatric care instead of treatment and self-help, said Dylan Corbett.
25He is the Hope Border Institute's director, the group that operates Clinica Hope.
26Reports say there has been an increase in pregnant women and girls in the border area.
27Some are victims of attacks. Some are younger than 15.
28Volunteers and activists have used limited legal, medical and other resources to help these victims.
29The situation has left hundreds of other victims of political violence and organized crime without help.
30In many cases, forensic tests at border medical centers that aim to record mental and physical abuse are very important to migrants' asylum cases.
31Byimana said often no other evidence is available for courts to make asylum decisions.
32Asylum is given to those who cannot return to their countries for fear of harm or violence.
33That can include violence against women.
34But it takes years for asylum cases to be decided in U.S. immigration court.
35Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an information center, said more than 1.5 million people are waiting for their cases to be heard.
36Activists say a long wait for asylum and a long trip through many countries can worsen the trauma that migrants experience.
37Sarah Howell treats migrants suffering from problems in Houston, Texas.
38She has been studying trauma and forced migration for 15 years.
39"There's a different tension and fear in faces than I've seen before," she said.
40I'm Dan Novak.
1Many migrants are arriving at the U.S.-Mexican border in need of medical and mental health treatment. 2Doctors, social workers, shelter directors, clergy and law enforcement officials say growing numbers of migrants have experienced or witnessed violence. 3Dr. Brian Elmore volunteers at a health center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The city is on the U.S.-Mexico border. Elmore has treated about 100 migrants for viruses affecting the lungs and some for emergencies. 4But he said trauma worries him the most. 5"Most of our patients have symptoms of PTSD - I want to initiate a screening for every patient," said Elmore who is an emergency doctor at Clinica Hope. PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a condition of extreme tension caused by a shocking or severe event in the past. 6But there are few resources for this kind of care. Shelters have been flooded by new arrivals and migrants who have been in Ciudad Juarez for months. Only the most severe cases are treated. 7"Like a pregnant 13-year-old who fled gang rapes, and so needs help with childcare and middle school," said Zury Reyes Borrero. Borrero works in Arizona with the Center for Victims of Torture. He said he visited such a girl when she gave birth. "We get people at their most vulnerable," he said. 8In the past six months, Reyes Borrero and a coworker have worked with about 100 migrants in Catholic Community Services' Casa Alitas. It is a shelter in Tucson, Arizona. In December, Casa Alitas was receiving about 700 people daily released by U.S. officials. They came from countries including Congo and Mexico. 9Each visit can take hours, as the case workers try to build trust with migrants, Reyes Borrero said. 10Most migrants are traumatized by what they left behind or what they saw on their trip, said Leonce Byimana. He is director of U.S. clinical services for the Center for Victims of Torture. He said the migrants need "first-aid mental health" as well as long-term care that is even harder to get once they leave the shelters. 11Left untreated, trauma can get worse to the point where it requires psychiatric care instead of treatment and self-help, said Dylan Corbett. He is the Hope Border Institute's director, the group that operates Clinica Hope. 12Reports say there has been an increase in pregnant women and girls in the border area. Some are victims of attacks. Some are younger than 15. 13Volunteers and activists have used limited legal, medical and other resources to help these victims. The situation has left hundreds of other victims of political violence and organized crime without help. 14In many cases, forensic tests at border medical centers that aim to record mental and physical abuse are very important to migrants' asylum cases. Byimana said often no other evidence is available for courts to make asylum decisions. Asylum is given to those who cannot return to their countries for fear of harm or violence. That can include violence against women. 15But it takes years for asylum cases to be decided in U.S. immigration court. Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an information center, said more than 1.5 million people are waiting for their cases to be heard. 16Activists say a long wait for asylum and a long trip through many countries can worsen the trauma that migrants experience. 17Sarah Howell treats migrants suffering from problems in Houston, Texas. She has been studying trauma and forced migration for 15 years. "There's a different tension and fear in faces than I've seen before," she said. 18I'm Dan Novak. 19Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. 20___________________________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22trauma - n. a difficult experience that causes emotional problems -n. (medical) a serious injury to the body 23initiate - v. to start something to happen 24screening - n. a process of finding out information from a person for a purpose 25vulnerable - adj. able to be hurt or influenced physically or emotionally 26psychiatric - adj. related to medical treatment of mental or emotional disorders 27forensic - adj. related to the use of scientific knowledge to solve crimes