The United States plans to send asylum seekers back across the southern border with the first group expected to arrive in the Mexican border city of Tijuana on Jan. 25.
The new policy requires migrants to wait for a ruling on their asylum cases in Mexico. This so-called Migrant Protection Protocols (or MPP) was first unveiled last year. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the MPP will help curb the number of people illegally crossing into the United States.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said: “They will not be able to disappear into the United States. They will have to wait for approval to come into the United States. If they are granted asylum by a U.S. judge, they will be welcomed into America, if they are not, they will be removed to their home countries.”
The MPP targets migrants from Central American countries and may make some exemptions for children traveling on their own or people from so-called “vulnerable populations.”
The government is struggling to handle a backlog of more than 800,000 asylum cases, a process that can take years. It is unclear how Mexico plans to deal with the asylum seekers while they wait for a judge to decide their fate.
Trump Signs Bill to Briefly Reopen Government
President Donald Trump announced on January 25 he had reached a tentative agreement with lawmakers for three weeks in stop-gap funding to end a partial government shutdown in its 35th day. Money the president demanded for a border wall is not included according to a senior Democrat aide.“I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” Trump said at the White House Rose Garden. “[This will] open our government for three weeks until Feb. 15. I will make sure all employees receive their back pay very quickly, or as soon as possible.”
“I have seen and heard from enough Democrats and Republicans that they are willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first.” Trump added.
The temporary funding bill will extend agency funding at the previous fiscal year’s levels and include some money for border security but not a wall.
Stone Claims FBI Arrested Him on False Claims
Roger Stone made his first court appearance after being arrest by the FBI on Jan. 25.“I will plead not guilty to these charges, I will defeat them in court,” said Stone, an associate of President Donald Trump. “I believe this is a politically motivated investigation.”
The arrest came after Special Counsel Robert Mueller initiated an indictment from a grand jury.
That indictment alleges that during the 2016 presidential campaign Stone sought stolen emails from Wikileaks that could damage Trump’s political rivals. He allegedly did this at the direction of someone prosecutors describe to be a “senior Trump campaign official.”
On the same day after Stone was released on bond, he answered questions from the media while walking out of court, saying he was falsely accused and would be completely vindicated.
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