Dozens of asylum seekers from tent camp in Matamoros, Mexico enter the US
SAN ANTONIO โ Asylum seekers who have been stuck in Mexico for moths during the Trump administration are slowly being allowed in the United States. Thousands of migrants were forced to wait in Mexico under the program known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) that was initiated in 2019. A spokesperson for the city of Brownsville said from Wednesday to Sunday, more than 270 asylum seekers were allowed into the city. But once the MPP was put in place, then those individuals were asked to remain in Mexico,โ Mendez said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said there are approximately 25,000 people in the MPP program with active cases.
Migrants in โremain in Mexicoโ program will soon be allowed to enter the United States, federal agency says
Launched by the Trump administration, the Migrant Protection Protocols forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico border towns for their hearings in American courtrooms. Officials in Mexico have said that many migrants have since gone back home or decided to cross illegally instead of waiting. AdThe DHS advised asylum seekers in the program to remain where they are for now while a virtual registration process is rolled out next week. Asylum seekers will be tested for COVID-19 before being allowed to cross the border. โThis latest action is another step in our commitment to reform immigration policies that do not align with our nationโs values,โ said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Tour of new, tent immigration facility in Laredo
LAREDO, Texas โ Set up immediately next to International Bridge 1 in Laredo, a new 50,000-square-foot tent facility is part of a controversial immigration program, the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as โRemain in Mexico.โThe temporary facility is filled with benches and portable rooms. Immigrants sit through hearings with judges who can dial in with video conferencing from San Antonio and elsewhere. Though they will attend hearings at the temporary facility, the immigrants, most of whom are seeking asylum, will remain in Mexico while their cases are ongoing. Laredo is one of two tent facilities operating under the MPP. Citizenship and Immigration Services when he and other DHS officials were asked about the danger during a tour of the Laredo facility.