Refugee Congress Denounces Restart of the “Remain in Mexico” Policy
For Immediate Release: December 3, 2021
WASHINGTON--Refugee Congress denounces the Biden administration’s recent announcement that the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), or “Remain in Mexico” policy, will restart.
The MPP was started in 2019 by the Trump administration and has endangered the lives of vulnerable families and individuals seeking safety. Under MPP, people seeking asylum are forced to await their U.S. court dates on the Mexican side of the border, where they often live in dangerous conditions, under the threat of violence, kidnappings and homelessness. Despite its name, the policy is not about protection at all but rather about abandonment of people seeking safety.
“It is appalling that this administration is reverting back to the shameful and inhumane policies of its predecessor, reneging on promises to protect the rights of asylum-seekers and jeopardizing the futures of thousands of people seeking refuge,” said Nili Sarit Yossinger, Executive Director of Refugee Congress. “We strongly urge the Biden administration to permanently do away with MPP, and begin the work of building a humane, just and accessible asylum system.”
As an organization built and led by refugees and asylum-seekers, Refugee Congress knows firsthand the importance of a humane protection system and policies that provide safety and welcome for those feeling violence and persecution. There is no safe or humane way to carry out a fundamentally inhumane protocol, as is the “Remain in Mexico” program.
“Asylum-seekers are people – humans like you and me – but they don't have anywhere to return to because they are at risk of losing their lives in their countries of origin,” said Valdir Solera, Jr., Refugee Congress Delegate for Hawaii.
We call on the Biden administration to reject policies that subject people who are seeking safety to dangerous conditions. We can and must be a nation that welcomes people seeking refuge. We call for an end to the MPP, removal of other barriers that endanger lives and prevent people from seeking asylum -- such as Title 42 -- and welcome with dignity for people seeking refuge.
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Refugee Congress is a nonpartisan advocacy organization built and led by former refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants to promote the well-being, integration and dignity of all vulnerable migrants. With delegates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, we use our voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical domestic and international issues that affect our communities.
MEDIA CONTACT: (202) 905-6238, media@refugeecongress.org
