Joe Biden was forced on Thursday to resume the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy as migrants head north for the border and GOP lawmakers introduce legislation to stop the White House from paying out migrant families separated under the previous administration.
The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday it is acting to comply with a court order in reimplementing the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which requires asylum-seekers who made it to the border by way of Mexico to remain in the country as they await U.S. court proceedings related to their claim.
DHS said that Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas believes the policy 'has endemic flaws, imposed unjustifiable human costs, pulled resources and personnel away from other priority efforts, and failed to address the root causes of irregular migration.'
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki described the program on Thursday as 'Deeply flawed.'
'We're working to implement [it] under the court order,' she added.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky introduced legislation Thursday to stop Biden from doling out fat $450,000 checks for each illegal immigrant separated under the Trump administration.
Reports emerged last month that the president was considering massive payments to migrants who were part of a family unit and are suing the government after they were separated when being taken into custody while Trump was president.
Since the payments would be per person, according to the report, some illegal migrant families could see payments in the millions if it were carried out.
Biden called the reports 'garbage' when asked about them in November, but later defended the planned payments while still disputed the $450,000 figure.
The Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act declares 'no Federal funds… may be expended for any legal settlement to any individual who violated section 275(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act if the claims giving rise to such settlement are based on the lawful detention of such individual as part of a family unit after entry at a port of entry or between ports of entry along the southern border of the United States after January 20, 2017.'
This would include any use of money from the Judgment Fund, which pays for court judgments and lawsuit settlements against the federal government.
Joe Biden was forced by courts to restart the so-called Remain in Mexico program on Thursday that he once called 'inhumane'. The president returns the White House on December 2
Migrants wait on Thursday, December 2 to obtain visas to transit Mexico as they make their way north to seek asylum in the U.S.
The program restarts as an influx of migrants head to the border. Here a child drinks as migrants wait to receive help from the Mexican government in Tapachula, Mexico on Thursday
Reports emerged last month that Biden is considering paying each illegal immigrant who was separated from their family when being taken into custody between January 2017-January 2020 a $450,000 check. Migrants wait in Tapachula, Mexico on Thursday, December 2 to obtain humanitarian visas to transit through Mexican territory
Tillis wrote in a statement regarding the bill: 'Our southern border is a disaster, and President Biden's failed policies have continued to fuel this ongoing crisis. We are seeing the most illegal immigration this year alone than ever recorded, and now President Biden wants to give illegal immigrants a payout, further rewarding lawlessness and chaos.'
'These $450,000 settlements are an insult to all hardworking Americans who will subsequently be funding these large settlements with their hard-earned tax dollars,' he added.
'I am proud to work with my colleagues to make sure this doesn't happen.'
Biden is being forced to restart the Trump-era Remain in Mexico asylum policy. This forces migrants who come from South and Central American countries to the U.S. border by way of Mexico to remain there while awaiting results of their asylum claims.
The Biden administration reluctantly announced plans Thursday to accept the policy and agreed to Mexico´s conditions for resuming
