More than 70,000 people were subject to the program. Many waited months, if not years, in squalid conditions and under the threat of extortion, sexual assault and kidnapping.
Starting Wednesday, the administration will allow migrants who had their cases terminated or were ordered removed for not being present at their hearings to be processed, opening it up to potentially tens of thousands of people. In some cases, migrants who had been required to stay in Mexico were unable to make their immigration hearings in the United States because of dangerous conditions or lack of communication.
International organizations are assisting with the process in Mexico. After an individual registers virtually and is confirmed as being eligible to enter, they’re asked to approach a staging location 24 hours in advance of their crossing date. At the staging location, migrants are tested for Covid-19. If someone tests positive, they’ll be put in quarantine for 10 days. Individuals must test negative before coming to the US.