Trump’s Remain in Mexico Policy Needs Review

Since January, under Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” Initiative, also known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), the U.S. Government has sent at least 54,000 Immigrants to Wait for their Court Dates in Mexican Border Towns. Instead of Staying with Relatives in the U.S., Families are Sleeping in Tents for up to Eight Months, in Unprotected Areas where Infections Spread within Crowded Quarters and Cartel Kidnappings are Commonplace.

Family Separation Ended a year ago. But Trump’s still Mistreatment of Asylum-Seekers continues in a different Form.

Some Parents are so Desperate that they’ve Resorted to Sending their Children across the Bridge Alone, since Unaccompanied Kids who Arrive at the Border cannot be Turned Away under MPP. Since October, at least 135 Children have Crossed Back into the U.S. by Themselves after being Sent to Wait in Mexico with their Parents, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In Mexico, many of these Migrants don’t have Access to Lawyers and are forced to Plead their Cases in Makeshift Tent Courts set up along the U.S. Border where Overwhelmed Judges Conduct Hearings via Video Teleconference. The Courts have Limited Public Access, Lawyers and Translators say that they have been Barred from Attending Hearings. Migrants’ Advocates argue that the Tent Courts Violate Due Process, and Immigrant Rights Organizations have filed a Federal Lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE) over the use of Videoconferencing.

There is a Serious Shortage of Lawyers willing to Represent Immigrants staying in another Country where Crime is Rife. The Remain in Mexico Policy is even more Traumatic than Separating Families.

The Camp smells from Urine and Feces. There’s not enough Sanitation, with 10 Porta Potty's for Thousands of People. Up until recently, there was No Potable Water available at all. People were Bathing in the Rio Grande River, getting Sick and, in some cases, Drowning. People were seriously Dehydrated. The Camp sounds completely Unfitting for any Human Being, let alone Children.

The Kids are Sick every day, with all kinds of Respiratory Illnesses and Digestive Illnesses. There's Chronic Illnesses like Epilepsy. A Baby that appeared to have Sepsis who was Forced to Wait on the Bridge for more than Three hours before being taken to a Hospital.

Many Families being taken by Cartel Members who then try and Extort an Immigrant’s U.S. Relatives for Money.

There is No Public Outrage because it’s Not Happening on our Soil. It’s happening literally 10 feet from the Turnstile to come to the U.S. But because it’s out of sight and out of mind, there is no Outrage. What ended Family Separation was Public Outrage. It had Nothing to do with Lawsuits. It had everything to do with shame.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker