© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall is seen as pictured in Tijuana, Mexico, August 1, 2022. REUTERS/Jorge Duenes/File Photo
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The Mexican government said on Monday it had informed the United States that it rejected a possible U.S. reimplementation of an immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico,” which required asylum seekers to wait for hearings in Mexico.
In December, a US judge halted President Joe Biden’s attempt to end the program. Subsequently, US authorities told Mexico’s foreign affairs ministry that the program would be restarted, the ministry said in a statement.
Mexico’s decision leaves the future of the program unclear.
Biden had sought to end the Trump-era program, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), upon taking office. Republican-led states like Texas and Missouri sued to keep the program active.
A federal court order forced the Biden administration to restart the MPP at the end of 2021, to which Mexico agreed with several conditions, such as expanding health policies and collaboration with international groups, the foreign ministry said.
Some 74,000 migrants passed through Mexico under the program during the Trump administration, it added. Under Biden, only 7,500 entered Mexico through the MPP.
Mexico added Monday that it supports the United States immigration program to allow some populations, such as Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, to enter the United States through an appointment system.
Human rights organizations have pushed for other nationalities to be included in the new programme.