Biden Admin Begins Returning Asylum-Seekers to Mexico Under Court-Ordered Reimplementation

Two adult men were the first asylum-seekers to be returned to Mexico on Wednesday, under the Biden administration’s court-ordered reimplementation of Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the two men were sent from El Paso to Ciudad Juarez.

While ABC News said the nationalities of the two asylum-seekers were unknown, Reuters reported one of the men was from Nicaragua. Enrique Manzanares “said he felt a little sad, but gave thanks to God that he was still alive,” the report said.

Women’s Refugee Commission senior policy adviser for migrant rights and justice Ursela Ojeda made clear to Vox that the administration “was not ordered by the court to expand Remain in Mexico to new populations.” Along with the continuance of Stephen Miller’s Title 42 policy, the past few days have been a devastating period for asylum-seekers and human rights.