(Fwrd Axis) — The Biden administration is expected to restart the controversial Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy next week, a senior administration official tells FWRD AXIS News.
The policy, first started by former President Donald Trump, requires non-Mexican migrants to stay in Mexico until their immigration court dates in the U.S. The policy was suspended when President Joe Biden began his term and a federal judge ruled in August that the administration had violated federal law in how they went about dismantling the law and required it to be reinstated.
The policy known as Migrant Protection Protocols is expected to start on a small scale and those enrolled to be returned to Mexico will be given the option of getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Axios was the first to report the details of the policy.
“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.
Despite criticism from both immigrant advocates and Democratic allies, the Biden administration will now have several Trump-era policies at the US-Mexico border.
“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.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in June the policy failed to “adequately or sustainably enhance border management in such a way as to justify the program’s extensive operational burdens and other shortfalls.”
Biden promised to reverse many of Trump’s controversial immigration policies when he was on the campaign trail. However, as President, he has turned away thousands of migrants at the border, citing a health regulation, called Title 42, put in place by Trump last year to control the spread of COVID-19.
