
A controversial 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.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, has blocked the administration’s move to end the program, saying the federal government did not follow proper procedures to cancel it and failed to take its benefits into account. The Biden Administration brought a challenge of the decision to the Supreme Court, which issued a ruling in August upholding Kacsmaryk’s court order that forces the government to restart the policy. Mayorkas issued a memo last month seeking to resolve the court issues, acknowledging that illegal border crossings dropped while the policy was in place but also claiming it did more harm than good by placing asylum seekers in danger. The memo stated many migrants faced unsafe living conditions in Mexico and lacked access to adequate legal representation.
What To Watch For
Some vulnerable populations are expected to be excused from going to Mexico, according to Axios, citing two immigration officials. Those being sent to Mexico will reportedly be offered a Covid-19 vaccine.
Surprising Fact
Illegal border crossings have skyrocketed since Biden took office. According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of encounters along the southwestern border increased from around 78,000 in January to more than 213,000 in July, and has remained around 200,000 per month since. Border encounters numbered fewer than 50,000 a month during much of 2020.
Too little too late. The result, ongoing destruction of our nation..This announcement must coincide with directions to stop welcoming “refugees’ who will never assimilate, merely cause more anguish while likely spreading terrorism within our borders.