Report: US, Mexico Considering New Refugee Program

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Facts

  • Anonymous sources say that US and Mexican officials are discussing a new refugee program for some non-Mexicans waiting in Mexico to claim asylum in the US.1
  • Under the new program, migrants who qualify would be able to enter the US under the refugee resettlement program, which is currently only available to applicants who are abroad.1
  • One source added that migrants would need to show they were in Mexico before June 6 of this year to qualify, though none specified the number of migrants that would be able to benefit from the program.2
  • The program would include migrants from several countries, including Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.3
  • Under current policy, migrants must apply for US entry on a smartphone app and later request asylum. Another program allows Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to request entry by air if they have US sponsors.1
  • This comes as hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela have passed through Mexico into the US in recent years. To claim asylum, which fast tracks the path to permanent residency within a year, they must prove that they were persecuted for their race, religion, nationality, social status, or politics.2

Sources: 1Reuters, 2Newsmax and 3La prensa latina media.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. Biden can’t be trusted to create new immigration policies that will keep the US secure and safe. What’s needed isn’t new ways to make it easier for people to enter the US, but better enforcement of immigration law — with state authorities and the military aiding federal agents, who are being overwhelmed because of Biden’s open-border policies.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. Republican policies on immigration are cruel to those seeking a better life in the US and can incite violence against those already in the country. What’s needed is a policy that verifies asylum seekers’ claims while making sure all legitimate requests are met so that the US can be a refuge for those who need it.