GINEBRA (Reuters) - The United Nations (UN) said on Friday it was concerned about the reinstatement of a policy put in place by former President Donald Trump that forced tens of thousands of migrants to wait in Mexico for the resolution of their cases. asylum in the United States.
A US appeals court on Monday rejected a new attempt by the Joe Biden administration to end this policy, often known as "Remain in Mexico" and officially called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).
Democrat Biden scrapped his Republican predecessor's policy shortly after taking office in January. But after Texas and Missouri sued for rescission, afederal judge ruled that it should be restored.
"We are concerned about the reintroduction of the Migrant Protection Protocol and the risk it poses to Mexico's humanitarian capacity, which is already at its limit, to receive migrants," the spokesperson for the Human Rights Office told reporters in Geneva. UN Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani.
"We are concerned that any type of strengthened security procedures to deal with migration will only drive migrants further towards unsafe routes and we fear that we will see more resort to dangerous routes and smuggling networks."
Under the 2019 policy,Migrants seeking asylum must wait weeks and sometimes years in Mexico to obtain a trial date in the United States, rather than being allowed to wait for their hearings in the United States.
Biden denounced politics on the campaign trail and immigration advocates have said migrants trapped in dangerous border cities have faced kidnappings and other dangers.
The number of migrants caught crossing the US-Mexico border has soared to record numbers this year, drawing criticism from Republicans.
However, many migrants arrested at the border are quickly expelled without being given at least the opportunity to seek asylum under another Trump policy put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which Biden has maintained.
(Reporting by Paul Carrel Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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