蜜桃传媒

Two years ago today, the Trump administration subjected the first migrant to a callous and unlawful policy that risks asylum seekers鈥� lives by forcing them to wait in Mexico for their U.S. immigration court hearings, stranded in border towns under life-threatening conditions.

Stuck there, families sleep in tents that do little to protect them from the elements or crime. Others crowd together in grimy streets without blankets or pillows amidst this humanitarian crisis. Parents clutch their children tightly out of fear they could be kidnapped.

The Trump administration officially implemented the 鈥淢igrant Protection Protocols,鈥� better known as the 鈥淩emain in Mexico鈥� policy 鈥� aimed at denying legal rights to migrants seeking asylum 鈥� on Jan. 25, 2019.

When this policy was first implemented, the Southern Poverty Law Center warned that it would听subject asylum seekers to unprecedented danger,听further听entrench white supremacy in our nation鈥檚 immigration system听and cause chaos. It has done just that.

This policy听has听trapped tens of thousands of听people听at听the border 鈥� making it nearly impossible for them to exercise their legal rights.听By forcing thousands听of听families seeking protection to remain in Mexico, the Trump administration exposed them to additional risk and attempted to听hide听this U.S. government-created humanitarian crisis from the American public.鈥�听
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While last week鈥檚 announcement by the Biden administration that听it will no longer send people into this program is an important first step, there must be immediate follow-up to听ensure the thousands of men, women and children currently subject to the听policy听are听allowed to听safely enter听the United States, with appropriate public health precautions,听and provided a meaningful opportunity to present their cases.听听

Two weeks after the听government returned the听first听person听under the policy on Jan. 29, 2019, the听蜜桃传媒, American Civil Liberties Union,听and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies filed a lawsuit,听, challenging the policy听on behalf of affected asylum seekers and six legal service providers.听

In April 2019, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the policy that was subsequently stayed, allowing the Remain in Mexico policy to remain in effect.听In February 2020, the court of appeals affirmed the injunction听on the basis that the policy was not authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Only days later,听the U.S. Supreme Court stayed听that injunction, allowing the Remain in Mexico policy to continue.听The injunction remains blocked pending review by the Supreme Court, and oral argument听is scheduled for March听1, 2021.听听

In听October 2020, the听蜜桃传媒, in partnership with Innovation Law Lab, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and pro bono partner Arnold & Porter LLP, filed an additional鈥�鈥痗hallenging the policy on behalf of听certain听affected asylum seekers, and two legal service providers, Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Immigrant Defenders Law Center.

This lawsuit alleges听that the Remain in Mexico policy has deprived thousands of asylum seekers of access to legal assistance and other tools needed to meaningfully present their claims.

The plaintiffs seek to facilitate the return of individual asylum-seeking plaintiffs, following precautions recommended by public health experts, so they can pursue their claims from within the United States, and to allow legal service organizations to continue their work unencumbered by the challenges of cross-border representation.

The Remain in Mexico policy is unlawful and immoral, and the Biden administration must follow through on its promise to ensure that affected migrants are allowed to safely enter this country and present their cases.

Photo by听Eduardo Jaramillo Castro/Getty Images