Mexico asks the U.S. for conditions to resume return of asylum seekers

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 26 (Reuters) – The Mexican government has asked Washington for various terms before resuming a Trump-era program that will force U.S. asylum seekers to await trial in the Latin American country the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program implemented by former President Donald Trump could be reinstated in the coming days after a federal judge ordered Joe Biden’s administration to resume it.

“The Mexican government … has raised various humanitarian concerns regarding the asylum process in the United States,” the Mexican State Department said in a statement.

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This week, Reuters reported that the Biden administration and Mexico have not yet agreed to restart the MPP program, as certain conditions must first be met.

Among other things, Mexico asked for the development programs for southern Mexico and Central America to be accelerated in order to address the root causes of migration.

Mexico also urged Washington to offer migrants medical care and vaccination against COVID-19; respect designated return points; Providing “additional resources” to shelters and NGOs to improve conditions for migrants waiting in Mexico; and legal advice to migrants so that their processes “can be carried out as quickly as possible”.

“The Mexican government stresses that … it requires the United States government to take immediate humanitarian action,” the State Department said.

“The State Department (…) is awaiting a formal response from the United States government,” he added.

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Reporting by Diego Ore; Letter from Laura Gottesdiener; Adaptation by Sandra Maler

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-asks-us-conditions-resume-return-asylum-seekers-2021-11-27/