The Mexican Undersecretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration, Alejandro Encinas, said on Monday that the reactivation in the US of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP, for its acronym in English) is a sign that the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador maintains a humanitarian vision in his immigration policy.
A few hours after the Administration of President Joe Biden announced the restart of the program known as ‘Stay in Mexico’ – through which the US deported migrants from there who request asylum to its southern neighbor, while they wait for the resolution of their cases—, Encinas affirmed that the López Obrador government adopted that resolution as “a humanitarian measure“.
“We must see it as one more example that the Government of Mexico is prioritizing a humanitarian vision in migration policy, instead of polarizing, not only the bilateral relationship with the United States, but particularly the treatment of the migrant population”, declared Encinas at a press conference.
According to the undersecretary, Mexico adopted this resolution in “full exercise of its sovereignty” and as a “humanitarian measure”.
“So that all people who are not in a position to return to their places of origin, whether due to risky conditions in the face of violence or political persecution, marginalization and poverty, have the opportunity to remain in our country waiting for the refugee request in the US, “Encinas said.
I reject that policy
The Biden Administration stated that it will seek finish that program asap. This after a court ruling required the federal government to reinstate that immigration program, which had been officially suspended in June of this year.
For now, Washington has pledged to respond to asylum requests in a maximum term of 180 days. In addition, they were designated 22 judges dedicated to immigration, who will analyze these cases in a particular way.
Regarding the duration of the program, Encinas only said that “a period is not defined“.” These provisions are coming into operation, which we hope will not last forever, but will be as it is, a situation of refuge, a situation of an extraordinary nature, “he said.
First phase of MPP
On January 24, 2019, the implementation of this policy began, which was devised by the Administration of then President Donald Trump (2017-2021).
Through this plan, some 68,000 migrants, mainly Central Americans, were sent to Mexico to wait there for the resolution of their asylum requests, in accordance with information released by the Department of Homeland Security through January 21, 2021.
Although it complied with the judicial resolution on the reactivation of this policy, the Biden government will try to fight in court the end of ‘Stay in Mexico’.
Unlike what happened in the first phase of the program’s implementation, the US Department of Homeland Security announced on December 2 some changes in this new phase, including that the Registered migrants will be vaccinated against covid-19 and what will they have communication with your legal representatives during interviews and hearings in American courts.
