U.S. delays immigration hearings for migrants in Mexico amid coronavirus

[March 24, 2020]    (Reuters) - The U.S. government said on Monday all court hearings for asylum-seeking migrants in Mexico will be rescheduled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a bid to slash asylum claims, the administration of President Donald Trump had launched an initiative in January 2019 that has forced more than 57,000 non-Mexican migrants to wait in Mexico for their U.S. immigration court hearings.

"Due to circumstances resulting from COVID-19, all Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) master calendar and merit hearings presently scheduled through April 22 will be rescheduled," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement https://bit.ly/3bqSreZ.

"Neither the MPP program nor any hearings will be canceled."

(Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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