New Biden-Harris Transit Plan with Mexico: What You Need to Know

New Biden-Harris Transit Plan with Mexico: What You Need to Know

An accord arranged by the Biden-Harris administration with Mexico will enable organized bus transit for migrants across Mexico.

At a Glance

  • Escorted bus rides from southern Mexico to the U.S. border for non-Mexican migrants with U.S. asylum appointments.
  • Buses depart from Villahermosa and Tapachula in southern Mexico.
  • 20-day transit permit for legal passage across Mexico.
  • Security and meals provided during bus rides.

Mexico and Organized Migrant Bus Transit

In a significant development, Mexico will offer escorted bus rides from southern Mexico to the U.S. border for non-Mexican migrants who have U.S. asylum appointments. The program was announced by Mexico’s National Immigration Institute (INM), highlighting the collaboration between the two nations to manage migration more effectively. Buses will depart from the southern cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula, facilitating safer and more organized travel for migrants.

The migrants availing themselves of this bus service will receive a 20-day transit permit, allowing them legal passage across Mexico. The governments aim to improve the asylum application process by making it more efficient and enhancing humanitarian standards. This initiative targets the reduction of dangerous on-foot journeys, which have been fraught with peril, including recent tragic incidents such as a vehicle accident in Oaxaca that claimed the lives of migrants.

Humanitarian and Security Measures

Security personnel and meals will be provided during the bus rides, ensuring that migrants can travel in relatively safe conditions compared to the treacherous paths they typically endure. The comprehensive support aims to curb the number of migrants who make the hazardous journey on foot, often risking their lives through dangerous terrains or facing threats from authorities and cartels.

The National Immigration Institute said the buses will leave from the southern cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula.

Migrants often face long waits in southern Mexico due to limited work opportunities. The program aims to make southern Mexico’s asylum process more appealing, encouraging migrants to wait away from the congested U.S. border. The Mexican government has long preferred that migrants wait in southern regions, reducing congestion in border towns and cities.

Implementation and Future Plans

Mexico had implored the U.S. to expand CBP-One’s capabilities to southern Mexico to alleviate migrant congestion in Mexico City. Migrants often prefer waiting in Mexico City due to better work opportunities and enhanced security compared to border cities. Some migrants even opt to purchase plane tickets to their border appointment locations to avoid the risks associated with road travel and potential encounters with authorities.

The latest development between the Biden/Harris administration and the government of Mexico on the immigration front will see migrants provided bussing from two southern Mexico cities to the United States border.

This initiative falls in line with the Biden-Harris Administration’s recent border enforcement measures, aiming to enhance security and reduce unlawful crossings. The measures include increased use of expedited removal for those entering unlawfully and new regulations to promote lawful migration pathways. This includes extending the Venezuela parole process to Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Cubans, and tripling refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere.

While the courts have prevented the Title 42 public health order from lifting for now, the Biden-Harris Administration today is announcing new enforcement measures to increase security at the border and reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully between ports of entry.

This comprehensive effort aims to enhance bilateral cooperation with Mexico, and other Western Hemisphere governments are also involved in implementing these evolving measures. The administration also calls for comprehensive immigration reform and additional funding from Congress. These steps collectively aim to tackle the crisis at the border more effectively and ensure organized and secure migration avenues.

Sources

  1. Mexico offers escorted rides north from southern Mexico for migrants with US asylum appointments
  1. Biden-Harris Admin Negotiates Bus Passage Through Mexico for Migrants Using CBP-One ‘Asylum’ App
  1. FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Border Enforcement Actions
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