Asylum seekers: Joe Biden breaks with Donald Trump's policy

A woman from Guatemala tries to cross the border between the United States and Mexico on December 1, 2018 in Tijuana (illustrative image).

REUTERS / Adrees Latif

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2 min

The former Trump administration blocked the entry of migrants at the borders, forcing asylum seekers to stay on the Mexican side of the border for the duration of the procedure.

About twenty days after taking office, Joe Biden intends to abandon this policy.

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With our correspondent in Houston,

Thomas Harms

Tens of thousands of migrants living in precarious shelters or on the streets on the Mexican side of the border with the United States were eagerly awaiting this announcement.

Next Friday, February 19,

the Biden administration will begin letting in asylum seekers

who have pending proceedings.

Up to 3,000 files reviewed per day

Some 25,000 people are affected.

They are being identified thanks to the cooperation of the Ministries of Justice and Homeland Security, the Mexican government and several NGOs.

They will be able to check in online, and depending on the age of their request, up to 3,000 per day will be summoned to the border with Mexico, at one of the three authorized crossing points: two in Texas, El Paso and Brownsville, and one in California at San Ysidro. 

A more "human" system

After having undergone a Covid-19 test, which must prove negative otherwise they will have to return later, these migrants will be placed "in alternative detention" on American soil, and not in prison as had been done. old administration.

The program for maintaining migrants in Mexico was set up in 2019 at the request of Donald Trump.

The

asylum seekers from Latin America but also in Africa

, living for two years in precarious conditions and are prey to Mexican cartels taking them hostage against ransom or sell them into slavery. 

In a press release released on Friday, the United States announced it wanted to recreate a methodical, secure and humane immigration system.

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  • United States

  • Immigration

  • Joe biden

  • Mexico

  • International Migration

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