What does the end of 'Remain in Mexico' mean for asylum?

WAMU 88.5 | By Sophia Alvarez Boyd

Published August 16, 2022 at 4:29 PM EDT

Since 2019, asylum seekers have had to wait for a court hearing in Mexico before entering the US. Now, that policy is winding down.

Migrants no longer have to wait in Mexico for a court hearing in the US.

That’s been the case for asylum seekers since 2019 when the Trump administration introduced Migrant Protection Protocols or MPP.

The policy is more commonly referred to as “Remain in Mexico” and the Biden administration has been trying to end it since last year.

The Department of Homeland Security explained why in a statement, saying, “MPP has endemic flaws, imposes unjustifiable human costs, and pulls resources and personnel away from other priority efforts to secure our border.”

But Republican-led states including Texas and Missouri blocked those attempts to wind down the policy in a legal battle that made its way to the Supreme Court. A decision was issued in June that allowedthe administration to legally terminate the program. But the process will take some time and migrants continue to be at risk and in danger.

So, what will the next steps look like? And what kind of impression has Remain in Mexico left on immigration policy in the U.S.?