In Tijuana, Mexico, Naser Zazai, 29, had intended to join his mother and brother in the United States this week following his escape from Afghanistan, where he faced threats and attacks due to his brother's past work with the U.S. military.
However, Zazai now finds himself stranded in Mexico as U.S. President Donald Trump recently halted all asylum appointments for migrants waiting there, including Zazai's scheduled for Jan. 22.
As a medical doctor, Zazai is among the many migrants who had anticipated starting anew in the U.S. this week, only to be confronted with the sudden options of returning home, seeking refuge elsewhere, or waiting indefinitely in Mexico.
For Zazai and numerous other migrants residing at the Assabil shelter in Tijuana, the situation is particularly distressing. Zazai expressed his predicament, stating, I can't stay in Mexico, and I can't go back to my country where I could be killed.
Migrants from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa passing through Mexico to reach the U.S. face additional hurdles, especially Muslim migrants, who are met with language barriers and misconceptions owing to their religion's limited presence in Mexican society.
Soraya Vazquez from the human rights organization Al Otro Lado noted the challenges faced by Muslim migrants due to cultural and religious differences, citing stigma within the Mexican community.
Migrants embarking on journeys to Mexico from distant lands often rely on smugglers, exposing themselves to risks of extortion and violence, particularly if unable to repay debts while stranded in Mexico.
Zazai, like many Afghan migrants in Tijuana, had his U.S. asylum appointment canceled. Unable to return to Afghanistan and feeling unsafe in Mexico, Zazai expressed the somber atmosphere at the shelter post-Trump's actions.
Having fled Afghanistan due to threats linked to his brother's U.S. military ties, Zazai recounted incidents of violence and fear that prompted his escape to Mexico, where he waited for six months for his asylum appointment, ultimately canceled in light of Trump's immigration policies.
Reflecting on his uncertain future, Zazai expressed, What is my plan for the future? I don't know what to say, in acknowledgment of the limited prospects ahead in his pursuit of migrating to the U.S.