The Biden administration has formally ended a Trump-era immigration policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.
The Biden administration on Tuesday formally ended a Trump-era immigration policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas marked the end of the Migrant Protection Protocols, which returned about 70,000 asylum seekers to Mexico from January 2019 until it was halted on President Biden’s first day in office two years later.
The announcement appeared to be a foregone conclusion after Biden promised as a candidate to end the policy, known informally as “Remain in Mexico,” but he left a window open by ordering a review before shutting it down permanently. Mayorkas said keeping the policy intact or modifying it “would not be consistent with this Administration’s vision and values and would be a poor use of the Department’s resources.” He said the costs would far outweigh any benefits.The policy coincided with a sharp decline of asylum seekers at the border, but critics noted that people were hampered by violent conditions in Mexico, lack of access to lawyers and difficulty making it to court.
Since Feb. 19, about 11,200 people with active cases have been allowed to return to the United States to wait for a ruling, a process that can take years in the backlogged court system. The administration has yet to say if tens of thousands more whose cases were either dismissed or denied will get another chance.
The administration has largely kept in place pandemic-related powers introduced by President Trump in March 2020 to expel people to Mexico without an opportunity to seek asylum, on grounds of protecting public health. Mayorkas acknowledged planning for those pandemic-related powers to be lifted but was light on specifics.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Biden administration formally ends 'remain in Mexico' policy after suspending it earlier this yearThe Biden administration formally ends the Trump-era policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico until their court dates in the US, according to a memo issued by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
Read more »
Zara, Anthropologie & Patowl accused by Mexico of cultural appropriationMexico's Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto sent letters to the companies which request a 'public explanation on what basis it could privatise collective property.'
Read more »
Mexico raids building project, seizes land next to Teotihuacán pyramidsMexico sends in troops to seize land next to the Teotihuacán ruins, where authorities say bulldozers were destroying outlying parts of the site.
Read more »
What The New Mexico 1st Special Election Can — And Can’t — Tell Us About 2022The final margin will be important, as it could hint at where the national political environment stands and what Republican messaging could look like in the 2022 midterms.
Read more »
Mexico accuses Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl of 'cultural appropriation'Mexico has accused fashion brands Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl of cultural appropriation, claiming that they 'made use' of designs created by the country's indigenous populations
Read more »