Report: Mexico backs plan to hold asylum seekers while they await hearings

Members of the incoming Mexican government say they plan to back a Trump administration plan to keep asylum seekers in Mexico while their claims are heard, according to the Washington Post.

Details of the “Remain in Mexico” plan are yet to be worked out, according to incoming deputy minister Zoe Robledo, but he did confirm that migrants would stay in his country while their claims were processed in U.S. courts.

“What we’re aiming for is that people leaving their countries due to security issues or violence can find a place to stay in Mexico if that is their decision,” Robledo said.

The new policy is considered a short-term solution. Ultimately, the long-term solution “is that people don’t migrate,” incoming interior minister Olga Sanchez Cordero said. “Mexico has open arms and everything, but imagine, one caravan after another after another, that would also be a problem for us.”

While Mexico is hoping to deter migrant caravans from constantly crossing their country to get to the United States, President Trump hopes that this new policy will end “catch and release” whereby asylum seekers are allowed into the U.S. while their claims are processed, then they never show up at court and are impossible to track down.

The tentative agreement comes as President Trump threatened to completely close the U.S. – Mexico border to all traffic including trucks carrying goods vital to Mexican trade.

“Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court,” Trump tweeted. “We only will allow those who come into our Country legally. Other than that our very strong policy is Catch and Detain. No ‘Releasing’ into the U.S.”

Since the Washington Post article was published, new reports say that “talks of such a deal were premature” and that the details were still being worked out. If the plan falls through, Trump could make good on his threat to close the southern border to all traffic likely inciting riots, like those in Tijuana, all across Mexico as trade comes to a halt and the Migrant Mob will be the focus of the blame and Mexican anger.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently shut down the San Ysidro, California port-of-entry while the entrance was hardened ahead of the Migrant Mob’s arrival.

The White House has not issued a statement on the “Remain in Mexico” plan nor has it returned a request for comment on the matter.

Editor’s Note: This post was updated to reflect news reports that the final deal is still under discussion and that no agreement on the final plan has yet been made.