Trump continues his ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy

The new immigration court ruling ordered by President Biden to end categorical parole and asylum seekers’ waiting times in the southern border region of the U.S

Some asylum seekers on the southern border will have to wait in Mexico for their hearings in the U.S. immigration court under a new policy brought back by President Trump.

On Monday evening, the Department of Homeland Security was instructed to stop all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the US, including the humanitarian parole program for those four countries.

The order stated that Trump wanted to protect the American people from the “disastrous effects” of mass migration. “My Administration will marshal all available resources and authorities to stop this unprecedented flood of illegal aliens into the United States.”

The program was put on hold due to fraud concerns. In October, it decided to end the legal status of those under the program because it would be difficult for them to find a separate path after their parole ends.

During his time in office, he implemented policies to limit asylum claims. He issued an executive order that allowed the processing of most asylum claims to be stopped on average when there are more than 2,500 unauthorized crossings. The final rule was stricter. It mandated the suspension of asylum claims from those who cross between legal ports of entry when the seven-day average is 1,500 crossings.

The Biden administration eventually filed an appeal up to the U.S. Supreme Court where they found some success. The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Biden and his ability to end the policy.

The app said on Monday that it will no longer have the functions of the “CBP One”, which allowed immigrants to schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry.

Critics of the app have maintained that it gave priority to newcomers instead of focusing on expediting pathways to legalization for immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years. The app created a system in which migrants are allowed to enter the U.S while waiting for their immigration proceedings to be completed. They also claimed the app’s vetting systems are not strong enough to prevent fraud. There is no evidence of widespread fraud.

The policy, which was created and implemented during the first Trump administration in 2019, resulted in tens of thousands of migrants waiting for extended periods in Mexico. It was criticized for putting migrants in squalid camps that made them vulnerable to being pressured by the drug gangs of the border region.

A House Advisory Note on Trump’s “Remain in the U.S.” Immigration Policy during the First Hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee

“No matter what obstacles and dangers are thrown in the path, I will keep fighting for you and for this country that we all love,” Trump said at a September rally in Wisconsin.

The policy received renewed attention in Washington even before Trump was sworn into office. The Senate Homeland Security Committee’s first hearing of the year was focused on remain in Mexico.

During the hearing, Democrats criticized the policy as a driver of criminal and cartel-related activity. Republicans argued the program curbed migration levels and should be brought back.

“These policies do not offer any solutions to improve border processing or address asylum and immigration court backlogs and are not an effective way to improve our immigration court system or address real needs at the border,” the ACLU said in a statement ahead of last week’s hearing.

The CPB One app, which allowed migrants to schedule appointments at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border, is no longer operational, according to a notice from Customs and Border Protection (CPB).

“Effective January 20, 2025, the functionalities of CBP One that previously allowed undocumented aliens to submit advance information and schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled,” a notice on the website updated on Monday reads.

Monday, officials with the incoming administration, speaking to reporters on background, said Trump plans to end asylum entirely, essentially closing the border to those without legal status, and suspend refugee resettlement for at least four months.

Margelis Tinoco knelt on the ground at the foot of the international bridge that crosses from Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas as Donald Trump took the oath of office.

The phone application that allows people to make appointments to seek asylum in the United States went down as soon as Donald Trump became President.

There were a number of people who already scored appointments. They had been waiting in Mexico for almost a year for the chance to cross the border legally. And then, within minutes, their dream of making a new life in the U.S. was undone.