Asylum seekers have crossed the Freedom Bridge or Gateway International Bridge from Mexico to the United States after President Joe Biden relaxed the former president’s tough immigration policies.
After spending months in Mexico, men, women, and children from a camp of around 700 have entered the US, hoping their cases will be processed faster.
It was in 2019 when Donald Trump’s administration started the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program in a bid to deter asylum seekers trying to enter the country through the southern border.
Former President Trump defended the strict rules – which sent over 89,000 people back into refugee camps and the border – as a way to keep US citizens safe from ‘bad hombres’ and ‘thugs.’
Biden’s administration recently started letting members of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program enter the US to pursue their court cases.
Since last week, UN refugee agency spokesperson Silvia Garduno said 27 people crossed the border on Thursday and 100 on Friday, with others entering the country by next week.
Asylum seekers in Matamoros have expressed positivity.
Honduran asylum seeker Josue Cornejo said in a video on Friday evening: “We’ve just received news that tomorrow we’re leaving!”
As one tent starts to empty, another tent has opened up on the other side of the country. Migrants inspired by the news that many asylum seekers were being allowed to cross the border have started camping out near the El Chaparral port of entry.
Reports say that 50 tents have been set up in the past few days.
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Replaced!