A Trump-era policy requiring U.S. asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their claims are processed could be reinstated by the Biden Administration as soon as next week, according to Axios. However, one Mexican official said an agreement was unlikely to be reached this week.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it was working to resume the program “as promptly as possible” but could not do so without Mexico’s agreement.
“As we have previously stated, we are required by court order to reimplement MPP. In compliance with the court order, we are working to reimplement MPP as promptly as possible,” a Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.
“We cannot do so until we have the independent agreement from the Government of Mexico to accept those we seek to enroll in MPP. We will communicate to the court, and to the public, the timing of reimplementation when we are prepared to do so,” the spokesperson added.
Mexico is insisting Washington provide more support against COVID-19 for migrants, such as vaccinations, more legal aid for asylum seekers, and acceleration of hearings for those taking part in the returns program, one senior Mexican official said.
The Biden administration also sent notices to providers of legal services asking if they wanted to be included on a pro bono list to be distributed to migrants enrolled in the “Remain in Mexico” program. But immigrant advocates and attorneys say they’re not interested in associating themselves with a policy they condemned under the Trump administration.
