U.S.A.: Why Humanitarian Work at the U.S. Border is More Important than Ever…

Three lives lost in July alone, following encounters with ICE agents.

Extremely worrying figures of lives lost within ICE detention centres.

People seeking asylum are forced back from the U.S. border into extremely dangerous border towns, where they face kidnapping, attacks, murder, and extreme weather conditions.

Humanitarian access must be protected at the US border.

As US border policy is increasingly framed around “security” and deterrence, independent humanitarian access is more important than ever.

Humanitarian organisations are a vital presence where state protection is absent - providing emergency food, water, medical care and legal support to people on the move.

They monitor detention conditions, document abuses and provide an independent voice when accountability is weakened. Their presence alone is a reminder that everyone arriving at the border retains fundamental human rights.

Every day, organisations including Border Angels, No More Deaths, Human Rights First and Amnesty International USA, alongside local organisations and volunteers, carry out this work.

Yet the space for humanitarian action is shrinking. ⚠️ Raids on aid centres, arrests and charges against volunteers, and restrictions on access to people in need are making life-saving work increasingly difficult.

Humanitarian access is not a threat to border security. It is a safeguard for human life, dignity and accountability.