Biden’s Drastic Changes To Trump’s Policy Will Affect At Least 10,000 Asylum Seekers
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At least 10,000 asylum seekers dismissed by Trumpian policies will be allowed to return to the US under President Joe Biden’s new plan.
Under Donald Trump’s administration, nearly 28,000 people fell victim to the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy, which saw immigrants forced to remain across the border and have their cases denied or dismissed due to not being able to show up in court. While some chose not to travel because of the dangers involved, others were too ill, pregnant, or kidnapped by cartels.
Echoing a number of other moves in Biden’s first term, thousands of people will be given the chance to once again seek humanitarian protection in the US and actually have their cases heard.
More than 11,000 people have already been processed into the country; however, it’s only been permitted to those with open cases. From today, June 23, those ordered deported ‘in absentia’ or asylum seekers whose cases were terminated by a judge will be allowed to try again.
‘As part of our continued effort to restore safe, orderly, and humane processing at the Southwest Border, [the Department of Homeland Security] will expand the pool of Migrant Protection Protocols-enrolled individuals who are eligible for processing into the United States,’ a note to congressional officials read, as per BuzzFeed News.
‘Beginning June 23, 2021, DHS will include MPP enrollees who had their cases terminated or were ordered removed in absentia (i.e., individuals ordered removed while not present at their hearings),’ it added.
While it’s unclear exactly how many will be granted entry to the US, Michele Klein Solomon, the International Organisation for Migration’s director for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, told the Associated Press she expects around 10,000 people.
The original policy was introduced by Trump in 2019 during a spike in border crossings, with more than 100,000 each month. However, it was halted by Biden on his first day, pledging to take action on immigration policy. There are more than 1.3 million cases clogging up the court system, reports say.
This news comes after Amnesty International claimed the DHS has deported 95% of unaccompanied Mexican children found by US Border patrol agents between November 2020 and April 2021.
‘That is more than 10,000 Mexican children, many of whom were fleeing violence or persecution in their home states and were trying to unite with their family members in the United States,’ Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said in a statement.
While taking issue with the US, President López Obrador has also reportedly ‘militarised Mexico’s border regions to stop the families and children fleeing from violence and poverty.’
‘Children have a right to safety and protection. Respecting their rights is not only the lawful thing to do, but also the morally correct thing to do,’ Guevara-Rosas added.
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