The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on whether to strike down the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forced tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases played out in U.S. courts, often in hazardous conditions. Shortly after taking office, Biden suspended the policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, but Texas and Missouri challenged the move. “This is a pretty outrageous idea that a new president coming into the office is not allowed to dismantle his predecessor’s programs that he disagrees with,” says Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior policy counsel at the American Immigration Council. Still, Reichlin-Melnick says the justices seem torn on their decision and that the Biden administration’s amended version of “Remain in Mexico” still puts asylum seekers at extreme risk of violence. We also hear from asylum seekers about the conditions they faced in Mexico under the program.

 

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“Remain in Mexico” #democracynow American Immigration Council Mexico Migrant Protection Protocols non-Mexican asylum Policy Reichlin-Melnick U.S. Courts U.S. Supreme Court