Under the “Remain in Mexico” policy at the U.S.-Mexico border, asylum seekers who reach the United States are returned to Mexico to await their asylum hearings, which are often many months away. Many of them sleep in the streets of Mexican border towns, often with their children, where they are subject to violence and desperate poverty. Urge your members of Congress to oppose the “Remain in Mexico” program and protect asylum seekers.
Maryknoll Lay Missioner Heidi Cerneka, an immigration attorney in El Paso, has written about the challenges facing asylum seekers under the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and in particular, their lack of access to legal representation. Only 0.1% of asylum seekers under the “Remain in Mexico” policy have been granted asylum so far, which legal organizations have said is related to the lack of legal counsel available in Mexico.
Take action today to oppose the “Remain in Mexico” program.
Learn more about the "Remain in Mexico" policy here.
Read a letter sent to the Mexican government regarding the "Remain in Mexico" program by a coaltion of organizations and groups, including the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns. In the letter, the coalition expresses grave concern over the situation facing asylum seekers under the program and requests information on the Mexican goverment's efforts to help. You can read it in Spanish here.