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Report: Mexico could become waiting stage for some migrants to U.S.

Central American migrants
Central American Migrants. Photo: Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images

Mexican President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s transition team and other Mexican officials indicated to the Trump administration that they at least temporarily support a U.S. plan to rework the border policy so that asylum seekers must wait in Mexico as U.S. courts review their claims, the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: An agreement would break tradition with current asylum rules and provide a barrier in the path of Central American migrants attempting to receive asylum in the U.S.

Details: The plan, known as "Remain in Mexico" according to the Post, would potentially alter the current system, which Trump has labeled as "catch and release."

  • People seeking asylum have been able to wait on U.S. soil in the past where conditions are generally safer. Many asylum seekers are looking to escape poverty and violence.
  • But, the administration views this deal as a possible breakthrough that could deter future migrant caravans from Central America.
  • There's been no formal agreement yet and the WashPost reports the administration is concerned that Mexico could still pull out.

Go deeper: Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban for migrants who enter U.S. illegally.

Immigration