Evelyn was a teenager when Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras in 1998, killing thousands and destroying her family's home. Now living in New York with two daughters, she reflects on the increasingly difficult path for those fleeing climate disasters. 'Every day it's more barriers,' she says.
Climate Displacement and US Immigration Policy
Millions worldwide are displaced by floods, storms, and heatwaves worsened by climate change, but US law does not recognize environmental hazards as grounds for asylum. This leaves climate refugees with few legal pathways to safety.
Under President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, doors have closed further. Evelyn's relatives urged her mother to bring her and her sister to the US after Hurricane Mitch, but today such escapes are far more difficult. 'It's sad to know that people will not be able to apply for a status or something to help their situation,' she says.
Perilous Journeys and Secondary Impacts
A Sudanese doctor, facing deportation under Trump's travel ban, notes that drought worsened by climate change has fueled civil war, forcing people from their land. 'People have had to abandon their lands because there isn't enough water,' he says. Similarly, a Somali asylum seeker describes drought killing farmers and animals, leading to urban displacement and violence from armed groups.
Felipe Navarro of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies says people uprooted by climate change have almost no chance of entering the US. 'If you were displaced by climate change, that door is closed,' he states, attributing the policy to a general hostility toward certain nationalities and races.
Little Hope for Reform
Democratic lawmakers have proposed climate-related visas, but political opposition makes reform unlikely. As Navarro warns, 'When we close doors, people always find another path to move.'
