President Joe Biden has sought to end the program, which had
been introduced by the Trump administration and is currently
suspended.
But U.S. states such as Texas and Missouri filed a lawsuit to
keep the program active and in December a U.S. judge paused
Biden's attempt, saying the Department of Homeland Security had
failed to adequately explain why the policy was ineffective and
should be scrapped.
Mexico's foreign ministry did not state its reasons for its
opposition. Activists argue the policy, officially called
Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), leaves migrants in dangerous
border cities where they face threats of kidnapping and
extortion.
If the Mexican government remains firm in its opposition, U.S.
officials would likely have to consider whether asylum seekers
can stay in the United States while their claims are evaluated
or make other arrangements to remove them from the country.
Some 74,000 migrants went through Mexico under the program when
former President Donald Trump was in power, the foreign ministry
said. Under Biden, that number is just 7,500.
Marsha Espinosa, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, said in a statement to Reuters on Monday that
the Biden Administration will keep trying to terminate MPP
through the courts.
"Our ability to implement MPP pursuant to court order has always
been contingent on the government of Mexico's willingness to
accept returns under MPP," added Espinosa.
The Biden administration has sought alternatives to reduce the
influx of migrants to the U.S. southern border, including a
program allowing some Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and
Venezuelans to enter through an appointment system.
According to U.S. officials, the program has seen some success
as the number of migrants from those countries caught crossing
the border dropped off sharply from December to January.
Human rights organizations have pushed for other nationalities
to be included.
(Reporting by Kylie Madry; Additional reporting by Ted Hesson in
Washington; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Edwina Gibbs)
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