Lawsuit asks Trump for explanation about immigrants in Mexico

Trump’s government received a lawsuit over the immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico” and its implementation during the global Coronavirus pandemic.

“Remain in Mexico” Policy – Brief explanation

In 2019, the current administration of the US created a program called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).

This program explains that any immigrant who arrives at the borders of the southern US to request asylum or refuge, must be taken back to Mexico to wait for a hearing and finally a response to the immigration request.

The reason for creating this program is that immigration detention centers across the country can receive only a certain amount of people in their facilities.

This immigration policy is popularly known as “Remain in Mexico”.

The current conditions of Mexico’s borders

The lawsuit was filed because Mexico’s borders are not suitable to house thousands of immigrants who have been sent there in recent years.

The conditions are very poor:

• Immigrants had to create temporary shelters and live in tents.
• There are approximately 65,000 families, including minors, who live there.
• No food or medical supplies are available.
• They survive on donations from surrounding communities or from immigrant rights advocates.
• They must stay there for several months, as applications for asylum and refuge in the US are currently delayed.
• There are many stories about surrounding gangs that constantly harm them.
• There is no water supplies.
• These temporary shelters are overcrowded.
• Most of these shelters do not have decent toilets or showers.

Nowadays, in the midst of a global pandemic, the situation is even more delicate than normal and they must wait even longer.

It is well known that COVID-19 spreads uncontrollably in overcrowded environments.

These temporary shelters of asylum-seeking immigrants are hotbeds of the virus and they do not have any medical personnel to assist them in case of an emergency.

In addition to that, the lack of hygiene increases the risk of contagion.

The lawsuit against Trump’s government

The lawsuit explicitly states: “the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, forcing thousands of people to live in camps along the border in dangerous and miserable conditions”.

The plaintiffs declare that less than 1% of immigrants sent to Mexico have received political asylum in the US since the MPP program was implemented in the country.

The official statement also states that: “poor hygiene and often overcrowding in camps and shelters in Mexico where asylum seekers are forced to live put them at greater risk of COVID-19.”

Who filed the lawsuit?

Those involved in the lawsuit against President Trump’s immigration policy “Remain in Mexico” are:

• Several lawyers around the country.
• Communities of immigrant human rights advocates.
• The American Immigration Council (AIC).
• The Human Rights Watch community.
• The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

How was the lawsuit filed?

These communities sued Trump’s government in the Federal Court of the District of California.

This lawsuit is specifically directed at:

1. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE). This is the entity in charge of the US border forces.
2. To the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This is the entity in charge of protecting the Nation from any possible threat.

What is the main purpose of the lawsuit?

The plaintiffs ask the current government of the US to propose a possible solution to the situation with the immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico.”

They claim that immigrant families who are there are at imminent risk and a massive outbreak of Coronavirus is almost inevitable if proper precautionary measures are not taken right away.

In addition to that, they argue that Mexico does not have a strong medical infrastructure to counter the impact of the virus on its borders.

Prepare your immigration case correctly!

The best we can do in these times of crisis is to find different alternatives to obtain legal residence in the US.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.