HIAS Welcomes DHS Announcement Ending “Remain in Mexico” Program

SILVER SPRING, Md. – HIAS welcomes the news that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ending the Migrant Protection Protocols and will no longer enroll those seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border in MPP, also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. This week’s announcement came after a U.S. District Court lifted an injunction that had blocked implementation of a June 30th U.S. Supreme Court ruling, where a 5-4 majority found that the Biden Administration did not violate federal immigration law with its decision to terminate MPP.

“The courts have spoken, affirming President Biden’s authority to put an end to the humanitarian disaster caused by MPP, and now the nation can move toward safer and more just procedures for people seeking asylum at our southern border,” said HIAS senior vice president for Global Public Affairs Melanie Nezer. “Seeking asylum is a legal and human right. HIAS’ extensive work on both sides of the border has shown us that forcing people to wait for their hearings in dangerous areas of Mexico needlessly exposed thousands of people to violence. Now that the administration has committed to ending this unjust policy, we renew our call on DHS to use every available measure to create an orderly and humane asylum process at the border.”

While this week’s announcement included a commitment by DHS to keep enforcing the World War II-era emergency public health measure Title 42, HIAS continues to advocate for the lifting of that policy, which has led to more than 2 million expulsions of asylum seekers since the Trump administration invoked it in March of 2020 – ostensibly to prevent the spread of COVID-19. HIAS also renews its call on Congress not to take any action that would codify Title 42.

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