McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The Department of Homeland Security is proposing a public website where migrant asylum-seekers could request disenrolling from the Migrant Protection Protocols program, also known as “Remain in Mexico” program.
On Thursday, DHS published in the Federal Register a request to start a Disenrollment Request website.
“The purpose of the public facing MPP Disenrollment Request website is to provide an avenue for individuals to initiate a request for disenrollment from MPP should they believe they should not be included in the MPP program,” according to the announcement in the Federal Register.
The Biden administration has been forced by the courts to restart the Trump-era remain in Mexico program. And so far mostly single adult males, and not families, have been sent back to wait in Mexico during their asylum hearings.
There are nearly 30,000 migrants currently in MPP, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse of Syracuse University, which tracks immigration cases.
“All information entered by individuals into the MPP Disenrollment Request System will be used by DHS employees and staff to determine whether, consistent with DHS MPP guidance, an individual should be disenrolled from MPP. Decisions whether to enroll or disenroll individuals from MPP are at DHS’s discretion, and the disenrollment request process does not create any obligation or private right of action enforceable in administrative or judicial proceedings,” according to the announcement.
Reasons for requesting to disenroll from MPP include:
- They were exempt and should not have been put in the program.
- Migrant was not given a non-refoulement interview, as is protocol.
- They now meet the criteria to be exempt from MPP.
Information for asylum-seekers also will be posted on the website, according to DHS.
The public has five days to offer comments on the proposal.