Ashtyn Tayler, who completed her post-baccalaureate degree at UTD, travelled to border town McAllen, Texas to help gather medical assistance for immigrants. Photo courtesy of Ashtyn Tayler.
Last
summer, one UTD alumna packed a bag and the six first-aid kits available at a
nearby Walmart and drove more than 500 miles to the largest U.S. Customs and Border
Protection detention center in McAllen, known colloquially as “Ursula.”
Ashtyn
Tayler graduated from UTD with her post-baccalaureate degree in biomedical
sciences last fall. The summer before graduation, she was enrolled in an
intensive MCAT course to prepare for the medical school application process
when the news of conditions at migrant detention facilities surfaced. Later in
June, she spent three weeks assisting families at the border and advocating for
their health.
“I
remember thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ There are people a few hours’ drive from
me who need help,” she said. “Watching the news and seeing what was happening
so close to us in Texas — doing nothing was no longer an option.”
When
Tayler drove to McAllen, the city’s patrol station was apprehending and
detaining more people for suspected illegal immigration than any other station.
Human rights groups around the nation commented on the consequences of a “zero
tolerance” policy — under which eligibility for asylum is restricted — and resulting
family separation practices under the Trump administration. The practice
previously occurred under rare circumstances in past administrations before the
Trump administration made it a policy in April 2018. On June 20, Trump signed
an executive order to halt family separation but continue the “zero-tolerance”
policy.
At the border, medical neglect in U.S. facilities
has resulted in more than 20 deaths — including three children — since 2010.
Overcrowding, lack of sufficient food and water and insufficient medical care
are among the threats those held in detention
facilities face.
In
McAllen, Tayler ended up at a shelter housed in an old office space where she
asked volunteers if there were any physicians or doctors available to help. A
busload of about 130 people had just been dropped off who clearly needed
medical assistance. Tayler, a pre-med student, was the only person available to
assist.
“I can’t convey enough how scary of a thing it is to see
so many people who are in that condition, where you can smell the sickness on
them,” she said. “These aren’t normal hospital conditions. When you get
involved in humanitarian work, it’s a very different type of medicine. It
requires a lot of improvisation.”