Reports on Saturday said the Trump administration had struck a tentative deal with Mexico’s incoming government to require all asylum-seekers from south of the border to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims go through court.
But by early evening, the picture grew more complex, as the incoming Mexican government said there was “no agreement of any sort.”
The Washington Post, citing Mexican officials and senior members of president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s transition team, reported early Saturday that the Remain in Mexico plan would require asylum applicants to stay in Mexico, therefore ending the “catch-and-release” practice whereby those seeking asylum are allowed to stay in the U.S. while their claims are being processed. This is one of several options the Trump administration has been pursuing in negotiations for months.
Implementation of such a policy would mark a significant victory for President Trump, whose tough immigration stance — including his promises to end catch-and-release and build a wall — has formed a central part of his political platform both before and after his election.
The Wall Street Journal, in its own report on the agreement, said it strives to control how many migrants are allowed to stay on the American side of the border during the asylum process. – READ MORE