(CNN) — In Mexico, this Wednesday began the registration of the first group of 25 migrants seeking asylum from the camp that is settled in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, so that they can cross into the United States under the US government program Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP for its acronym in English), as confirmed by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
The registration process includes verifying personal data and conducting a coronavirus test on each person to avoid public health risks, according to the UNHCR statement.
The mayor of Brownsville, Texas, indicated this Tuesday in his Facebook account that the crossing of the migrants, once the registration process has been completed and knowing that the covid-19 test is negative, will be this Thursday.
According to UNHCR, around 750 migrants have been in the Matamoros settlement for two years, waiting for their opportunity to cross into the United States.
On February 19, the MPP program began with the crossing of the first 25 migrants from Tijuana, Baja California to San Ysidro, California.
A change in the Biden government
The change to the camp was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday. In the tents in Matamoros, Mexico, hundreds of migrants remained in deplorable and miserable conditions after being subjected to a Trump-era policy that required them to remain in Mexico until their date for an appointment in United States immigration court was cleared. United.
In recent years, migrants have set up a camp in Matamoros waiting to enter the United States. Advocates for immigrants called the situation a humanitarian crisis just yards from the southern border of the United States that formed as a result of the tough policies of the Trump era.
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“The migrant camp in Matamoros has been severely affected recently by the extreme weather in northern Mexico. As President Biden continues to rebuild the nation’s border management in a way that reflects the values of the United States, addressing humanitarian needs in Matamoros has become a priority, ”the department said in a statement.
“We will work in partnership with the Government of Mexico and partners on the ground to facilitate the secure processing of current camp residents who qualify for this program.”
Newcomers to the camp will not be able to enter the United States through this process, DHS said. The registration and the process “will be carried out as quickly as possible” with established health and safety protocols. People should also go through security screening and get tested for COVID-19, according to the department.
