by NJFON Co-Executive Director Alba Jaramillo
National JFON welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision in Biden v. Texas, a 5-4 ruling permitting the Biden administration to terminate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico Program.” This Trump-era policy forced asylum seekers to remain in Mexico under dangerous conditions while their claims were decided.
As we celebrate this Supreme Court decision, we must also hold space for a somber reflection and analysis of the human rights impact of this anti-immigration policy. Through MPP, the U.S. government systematically denied over 75,000 migrants fleeing persecution their international legal right to seek asylum in the United States. Over 1,500 migrants placed in MPP were kidnapped, murdered, tortured, and raped. The profound physical, mental, and emotional trauma inflicted on asylum seekers by the U.S. government through the implementation of MPP, can never be undone, and it must never be forgotten.
National JFON stands in solidarity with the resilient and courageous asylum seekers south of the border waiting for the opportunity to request asylum at our ports of entry. We call on the Biden administration to immediately bring asylum seekers in Mexico to safety. This includes following through with the administration’s promise to end Title 42, which has resulted in almost 2 million migrants being expelled to Mexico under the guise of public health. We demand a complete restoration of our asylum system to one that is rooted in human rights and that welcomes asylum seekers with compassion and dignity.
Members from our JFON sites share their reflections:
“As an advocate for asylum-seeking clients who survived the unspeakable cruelty of MPP— after escaping violence in their home countries—I am grateful that the Biden administration can finally terminate this despicable program once and for all. I look forward to the day when MPP is fully terminated and the administration ceases to employ Title 42 to prevent asylum seekers from rightfully claiming refuge in the United State.”
—Alexis V. Duecker, New York Justice For Our Neighbors
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“While we in Arizona welcome this unexpected decision from the Supreme Court, it does not undo the significant harm that has disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ asylum seekers. I believe this decision will save lives and prevent the severe harm that it caused to all of those forced to stay in the region of Northern Mexico. Arizona JFON remains steadfast in providing legal services and legal orientation to asylum seekers on both sides of the border as they continue their journey to freedom in the United States.”
—Ella Rawls, Arizona Justice for Our Neighbors
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“Here in El Paso, we rejoice that the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden administration can end Remain in Mexico. This will impact thousands of asylum seekers who have been stranded in Mexican border towns for years and ends a legacy of cruelty that has harmed over 75,000 people. We call on the Biden Administration to do everything in their power to end the Remain in Mexico program as soon as possible, as thousands of people remain in danger. Today’s decision is a step in the right direction to restore asylum, welcome those coming to our border with dignity, and honor their right to safety.”
—Kristen Bowdre, Justice for Our Neighbors El Paso
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Feature photograph by UM News Service photographer Mike DuBose.
