The elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, plans to issue his first executive orders to "close" the border with Mexico and restore the controversial 'Remain in Mexico' program. His team detailed that immigration will be one of the main topics of these initial orders, along with energy and foreign policy.
The Mexican government strongly rejected this measure, emphasizing that it is a unilateral decision by Trump. Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente stated that although the United States has the authority to implement these measures, Mexico does not share or support this action.
The 'Remain in Mexico' program, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), was launched during Trump’s first term and continued in the early months of Joe Biden's administration. However, it was eliminated in August 2022.
The foreign minister mentioned that although the MPP does not impose direct obligations on Mexico, some agreements could be reached regarding it. Trump's new executive orders will also include the deployment of military forces to "close" the border and combat irregular migration and drug trafficking. Additionally, it is expected that immigration policy will be toughened, fulfilling Trump's campaign promise to carry out the "largest deportation in the history of the country."
The 'Remain in Mexico' program has been criticized by human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, because it puts asylum seekers at risk by sending them back to Mexico, exposing them to multiple dangers and violating their rights to seek asylum in the United States.
On the other hand, the mobile application CBP One, which allowed migrants in Mexican territory to request an appointment to enter the United States through the southern border entry points, has ceased to function. More than 930,000 people presented themselves at the entry points through this application since its launch in January 2023. The website of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that scheduled appointments were canceled and that the application is no longer in service.
