Letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security - xRep. Gregory W. Meeks Sends Letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to End Inhumane Migrant Protection Protocols

Letter

We write to express our appreciation for the Department of Homeland's Security's (DHS) recent commitment to end the inhumane Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as "Remain in Mexico." In light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, we urge you to quickly disenroll the remaining individuals from MPP and allow them to continue their court proceedings in the United States.
On June 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Biden Administration's authority to terminate the MPP program. As a result, a U.S. District Court recently lifted the injunction and opened a pathway for DHS to finally bring this rule to an end. As you know, nearly 80,000 asylum seekers were subjected to this Trump-era policy, including almost 12,000 enrolled between December 2021 and August 2022. However, even after the announcement, a substantial number of those enrolled in the program still await the chance to safely pursue their asylum cases in the United States. Unfortunately, various safeguards implemented by DHS do not sufficiently mitigate the grievous dangers and due process concerns inherent to MPP.
Moreover, this policy has disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous individuals, people of color and women, all of whom are escaping political turmoil, discrimination, persecution, and violence back in their home countries. It is heartbreaking to see these vulnerable populations leave their home countries only to face the same forms of abuses on their journey to and along our border. The inhumane treatment of Black asylum seekers has been a recurring theme throughout our immigration and border practices. It is critical that all who seek safety be provided with fair access to our asylum process.
While we commend DHS for committing to end MPP and remove individuals from the program, we urge expediency in the administration's next steps and request information about agencies' preparations to ensure all eligible asylum seekers return immediately to the U.S. to continue their process. Specifically, please consider the following recommendations:
● Use a whole-of-government approach to expedite the MPP disenrollment process to admit individuals subject to the policy under either the former or current administration;
● Facilitate a clear process that allows MPP enrollees, with DHS's support, to disenroll from MPP and file change of venue and address forms with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), resuming their immigration court hearings in their final destinations.
● Establish a plan to ensure that all asylum seekers, including Black, Indigenous individuals, people of color and women are treated humanely.
MPP is a cruel policy that violates basic premises of human rights and asylum law and has affected some of the most vulnerable populations ever to come to our nation's borders to seek refuge and help. We now urge you to start the process of creating a safe and humane system, where asylum seekers feel safe to come forth and seek refuge in our country.

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