Return of migrants from the US operates in conditions different from its first stage: Eunice Rendón

Although the Mexican government put some conditions to accept that foreign migrants returned from the United States enter its territory to await the decision of the courts on whether or not to grant them refuge, under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP, for its acronym) in English), better known as the Stay in Mexico program, there are also situations that did not exist during the time that the first stage lasted, from January 2019 to January 2021, said the coordinator of the Migrant Agenda, Eunice Rendon.

The consultancy on migration issues stressed that the important thing is that, on this occasion, Mexico set conditions for the implementation of the program and that the United States considers it to be an inhuman and inefficient instrument, but that it has to be reactivated because that is the order. of the American Court.

Specifically, he mentioned that the government of the neighboring northern country is expected to provide these protocols with more humanitarian characteristics, such as processes do not last more than 180 daysThat there be legal support, that there be resources for the shelters and to support the civil society organizations that serve them on this side of the border and that the most vulnerable populations can enter the United States to wait for the decision.

Rendón Cárdenas called attention to the fact that it is not known what will happen to the migrants who say they have afraid of staying in Mexico.

“At least they are putting on the table those conditions that were not at the time of Donald Trump. However, he mentioned that there are also concerns that were not in the first stage of the program, for example, the 75% increase in deportations under title 42 (which empowers immigration authorities to return people to Mexico, arguing for health reasons). in the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic), which has many border shelters already full.

The activist stressed that what is needed is that they put up special shelters for them.

He also mentioned that Mexico may have said that it did not want to receive foreign migrants from the United States, since its Court cannot force a third country to comply with its orders.

He recalled that of the 70,000 migrants returned to Mexico within the Stay in Mexico program, only 5% obtained refuge and the rest either stayed in Mexico or returned to their countries, with all the risks incurred and others crossed into US territory from illegal way.

Mexico also has to consider that because a part may end up staying on this side, “he said.

On the other hand, he recalled that, according to Human Rights Watch, around 80% of returnees in the first stage were victims of some type of violence in Mexico, which shows that the country is not a safe place to wait and their return here violates all the humanitarian principles of Mexico and the United States in the international arena.