Pence, Mexican Top Diplomat Discuss Expanding Remain In Mexico Plan - White House

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2019) US Vice President Mike Pence and Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard discussed during their meeting in Washington the need to expand the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico Plan, the White House said in a press release.

"The Vice President highlighted the US Department of Homeland Security's efforts to expand implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols in order to expedite processing of immigration claims, and noted the need to work closely with the Government of Mexico to further expand these efforts," the release said Tuesday. "The leaders agreed to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols to the fullest extent possible."

The Remain in Mexico plan requires asylum-seeking migrants to wait in Mexico while their applications are being process in the United States. US immigration enforcement officials credit the policy as contributing to the recent drop in illegal border crossings in the United States.

Pence and Ebrard emphasized that although progress has been made to deter illegal migration, more work must be done to further reduce the flow of illegal migrant coming to the United States, the release said.

On June 7, the United States and Mexico reached an agreement on curbing illegal migration through the US-Mexican border. Under the agreement, the United States vowed to refrain from imposing tariffs on Mexican goods, while the Latin American country committed to deploying its National Guard throughout the country and, especially, to its southern border to fight the influx of undocumented migrants.

Caravans of migrants from Central American countries seeking asylum began to move toward the United States through Mexico last fall. US President Donald Trump called the surge of arrivals a crisis and declared a national emergency in February to secure funds to build a wall on the border with Mexico.