Immigration
¡No Gracias! Mexico tells U.S. that Biden plan could encourage even more migration
Under the proposed program, asylum seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who are waiting to cross into the U.S. would be able to seek refuge in the U.S. as long as they were in the Mexico before June 6
July 3, 2023 8:24am
Updated: July 3, 2023 9:16am
Officials from the United States and Mexico met to discuss a new refugee program that would grant asylum to non-Mexican asylum seekers waiting in Mexico, according to four sources.
Under the proposed program, asylum seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who are waiting to cross into the U.S. would be able to seek refuge in the U.S. as long as they were in Mexico before June 6, a source familiar with the talks told Reuters.
The current plan would allow migrants who qualify for refugee status through the U.S. refugee resettlement program to apply. Refugees who are part of the program would receive work authorization and government benefits, unlike asylum seekers who seek refugee status after entering the U.S.
Mexican officials have expressed concerns about such a proposed plan however, claiming it could encourage even more migrants to come to Mexico and that they could get stranded there.
Furthermore, officials are concerned about the logistics as to where more migrants could be processed for such a program.
Government sources told the outlet that no official decision has been made and that the two governments are still discussing the issue. It is also unclear how many people would benefit from such a program.
According to one of the sources, the program that the U.S. and Mexico are negotiating is aimed at alleviating the immigration pressure that the Mexican government has faced for several years.
The discussion of the new plan comes after thousands of migrants are heading to the U.S.-Mexico border seeking a better future after the recent expiration of the immigration policy Title 42 in May. Many of the migrants wait in Mexico for their turn to present their asylum case to a U.S. immigration officer, putting a strain on the resources of several border communities.
To qualify for the program, asylum seekers must prove that they are facing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, or membership of a social group or political opinion.
