Many asylum seekers are waiting for their hearing dates at the U.S. Mexico border policy mandated by former President Trump. Immigrants are located in shelters where they sit on plastic picnic chairs, eat rice and beans with tortillas, and sleep on mattresses on the floor or cots. Many immigrants have waited in shelters for their hearing dates for over a year.
President Biden announced earlier this year that his administration would slowly reverse immigration policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It leaves asylum seekers at the border frustrated, not knowing when they will enter the country and attend their hearing.
There are an estimated 25,000 migrants with active cases in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. The White House announced that it would start processing these active cases. The process will begin at the three ports of entry then expand to other border cities in Mexico. The White House has not released the names of the cities in Mexico.
The 25,000 migrants will test in Mexico for COVID-19 and enter the United States to travel to their hearing. It is excellent news for many seekers who have waited more than a year for their hearing. Many are living in dangerous locations and in places where there was no running water.
President Biden created hope in the immigrant communities by placing a 100-day halt on most deportations and stopping the border wall's construction. A Texas federal judge blocked the Biden administration from implementing the 100-day deportation halt. The Biden administration has confirmed that it will continue to turn away most migrants at the border due to the public health concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some migrants are allowed to enter the country to wait for their court dates, while others get sent back to their home countries.
The desperation of not knowing when the current administration will change policies makes many asylum seekers leave shelters and try to enter the U.S. illegally. Many migrants can't work legally in Mexico, have been threatened by cartels who exploit them for money, kill them if they don't pay, or kidnap them. Immigrant advocacy groups are struggling to help immigrants with disabilities who are stuck at the border. Advocates hope that the Biden administration can fix the lack of information given to them and will admit these migrants into the United States quickly. Still, they remain hopeful due to the administration stating to begin processing the migrants stuck at the U.S. Mexico border. We hope Biden prioritizes these asylum seekers and gives them a fair opportunity to apply for asylum in the United States.
If you have any questions regarding how this may impact your case, please call Pikes Peak Immigration to schedule a consultation or a meeting.