WASHINGTON – The government of President Joe Biden will seek to implement a “comprehensive and long-term” immigration plan to address the challenges of the Western Hemisphere, including those of their own system, said this Friday Roberta Jacobson, special assistant to the president, who admitted that the changes will not happen “overnight.”
“The Biden Administration is committed to (implementing) a fair, orderly and humane border procedure, but it will take time to happen,” said Jacobson, who is also coordinator of the southwest border in the National Security Council.
That immigration plan of the Biden government will have as pillars, according to the official:
- reduce the causes that force people to migrate
- expand access to international protection (refuge and asylum)
- expand family reunification mechanisms ias and labor migration programs
- protect national and border security
“This is not the time to get to the border”
Jacobson, who was US ambassador .UU. In Mexico between 2016 and 2018, sent a message to the migrants and families “who are now on their way to the United States or are thinking about this trip: the situation in the border has not changed. ”
“ Now is not the time to get to the United States border, ”the official said. Procedures will not change overnight and travel is especially dangerous now in the midst of a pandemic, ” added.
The United States and Mexico agreed to restrict non-essential land travel in March last year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a measure that had previously entered into force on the border with Canada.
The decision, adopted by the past Administration of President Donald Trump, remains in force, announced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last 20 of January, the same day that Biden arrived at the White House.
Judge orders suspension of deportation of children detained at the border under the pretext of coronavirus
Migrants demand that the courts take up asylum cases at the border
Faster processing of asylum applications
Jacobson also referred to people than due to the program of Migrants Protection Protocols (MPP, in English), also known as “Stay in Mexico” , are waiting in the neighboring country for a response to their asylum application, and indicated that they are dedicating “enough resources to that challenge.”
The past 20 January, the Biden Administration announced that it would suspend as of 21 January enrollment in that program, which allowed the Trump administration to return asylum seekers to the neighboring country.
“The Department of Internal Security is not registering more people, more migrants in the program ”, confirmed the advisor, who pointed out that they are reviewing how they can process migrants who are already part of the e that initiative, especially to those who have been waiting for years and the “most vulnerable”.
And in a message to those who are registered, the person in charge of the southwest border asked them to wait.
“Do not arrive at the border now if you are not living on the border,” he said, and promised that they will be contacting to the participants through non-governmental organizations and others and that they will be processed “in an orderly manner.”
“If they arrive at the border now, that will not change their situation,” he added. by stating that they will be served “as quickly as possible and much faster than before to ensure that everyone has their opportunity to process their asylum claim.”
It is not planned to transfer people to Central America
Consulted about the Asylum Cooperation Agreements (ACA) with Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, countries that make up the so-called Northern Triangle of Central America and don The largest number of migrants who seek to reach the United States through Mexico come from, ruled out that transfers are made.
Jacobson explained that the transfers under the agreement with Guatemala – the only one that he said was updated – remain suspended since March due to the pandemic.
“The other two agreements, with El Salvador and Honduras, have not been implemented. Currently, there are no plans to transfer people under any of the three agreements ”, he specified.
The immigration reform will bring a different proposal
Jacobson also referred to the immigration reform that Biden presented to Congress on his first day as head of government, and described it as a bill “very different from other efforts in the past.”
“Much more comprehensive and that starts from the beginning with the understanding of legalizing people who live in the shadows in the United States, 11 million or more, is something very important not only for the dignity of these people and their lives and their families, but also for our economy “, he said.
In that sense, he admitted that the process of this initiative in Congress” is going to be difficult “, But stressed that both on the Republican and Democratic sides there are those who” understand very well that it is essential to change the situation situation of those people “and even pointed out that the polls show that the majority of the American population is in favor of this project.
” I am much more optimistic than at other times in our history, But that’s not to say it would be easy. I believe that the president is very committed to working with Congress to implement it, ratify it, the immigration reform, “said Jacobson, who considered that it will be an issue that” will take a little time. “
By Laura Barros
