Department of Homeland Security to end 'Remain in Mexico' policy

The Department of Homeland Security is ending the "Remain in Mexico" policy amid already skyrocketing encounters at the southern border.

Then-President Donald Trump instituted the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) policy in January 2019, forcing migrants to wait in Mexico until their immigration hearings.

President Joe Biden suspended the policy shortly after entering office and his decision has been the subject of an ongoing legal battle.

Following a new ruling from Texas U.S. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who ordered the MPP to be reinstated last August, the administration was able to end the policy.

"As Secretary Mayorkas has said, MPP has endemic flaws, imposes unjustifiable human costs, and pulls resources and personnel away from other priority efforts to secure our border," a DHS press release states.

Migrants enrolled in MPP in Mexico will be disenrolled at their next scheduled court date. They will continue with their removal proceedings in the United States.

Title 42, the Trump-era COVID-19 immigration order, will remain in place under a court order.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection have encountered or apprehended a record number of more than 2 million people from over 150 countries at the southern border so far this fiscal year.

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez celebrated the decision to end the "Remain in Mexico" policy.

"After years of advocating against Trump's misguided anti-immigrant #MPP policy, I'm glad the Biden Administration can now move forward with putting an end to this policy once and for all," he tweeted.