If all goes according to plan, the Biden administration will restart President Trump's “Remain in Mexico” policy.
For now at least.
The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) will restart in November. Officials say they are working to ensure refugees' safety and rights while the U.S. government processes their claims.
The administration has also signed contracts to reopen tent courts to host remote asylum hearings at the U.S.-Mexico border. (RELATED: White House Reportedly Considering Using Guantanamo to Detain Haitian Migrants)
How Did We Get Here?
The Washington Post reports:
In August, a U.S. District Court judge in Texas ordered the Biden administration to restart MPP, also known as “Remain in Mexico,” faulting the White House for ending the program improperly. The Supreme Court upheld the decision, forcing Biden officials to restore a policy the president has deplored as inhumane.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it is “taking necessary steps to comply with the court order, which requires us to reimplement MPP in good faith.”
But Mexico Must Consent
MPP cannot resume without Mexico's consent, as the court acknowledged in its ruling, and administration officials said they are taking steps to address the concerns of the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador by setting up better access to legal counsel for asylum seekers, exemptions for vulnerable migrants and other safeguards.
SEE ALSO: Biden Blamed for Abuse Allegations Involving Unaccompanied Migrant Children
“Mexico is a sovereign nation that must make an independent decision to accept the return of individuals without status in Mexico as part of any reimplementation of MPP,” the DHS statement said. “Discussions with the Government of Mexico concerning when and how MPP will be reimplemented are ongoing.”
President Trump implemented the MPP in 2019. Before leaving office, his administration expanded it. Mexico accepted the policy's expansion under the threat of tariffs. However, President Biden ended it on his first day in office.
Biden made no apologies when Illegal border crossings began skyrocketing in the spring. According to Customs and Border Protection, border apprehensions hit a 21-year high over the summer. (RELATED: Violent Crime Spike Linked to Defund Police Movement)
