The Department of Homeland Security is releasing a memo on Thursday announcing its intention to end the Trump-era “Stay in Mexico” policy, DHS officials told reporters on a call.
Why is this important: The Biden administration is currently the subject of a court order to reimplement the policy, which is officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The controversial program forces many migrants to stay in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed in US courts. Human rights defenders have slammed MPP as inhumane.
Catch up fast: The Biden administration first tried to end the program in June, but a U.S. District Court judge in Texas ordered the administration to restart the MPP in August, arguing the White House had terminated the program. inappropriately. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Driving the news: After extensive review, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas determined that the MPP “may very well have led to a reduction in irregular migration,” but the humanitarian costs do not justify the program, a DHS official said.
- The policy “diverts resources from other key administration priorities, including longstanding efforts to address the root causes of migration and other key initiatives designed to develop more sustainable, effective, efficient reforms.” and sustainability of the asylum system,” the official said. .
- Due to the legal battle involving the MPP, however, it is unclear if or when the administration will be able to end the policy.
What to watch: The ministry plans to request the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the district judge’s decision or send the case back to the lower court so the administration can ask the Texas judge to overturn it.
- The 5th Circuit Court will hear oral arguments on November 2.
Waiting for, the administration is following the district judge’s order and working with Mexico to address concerns raised by the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
- Mexico’s agreement to accept migrants again is conditional on the United States meeting certain conditions, including exemptions for vulnerable migrants.
The big picture: More … than 70,000 immigrants have been placed in MPP since early 2019.
