# What the REMAIN in Mexico Act Does

This bill would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to bring back and continue using a policy called the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the "Remain in Mexico" program. Under this policy, people who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum would be sent back to Mexico to wait for their immigration court hearings instead of being allowed to stay in the United States while their cases are processed.

The policy being referenced was originally created in 2019 and has been controversial. Supporters argue it discourages people from attempting to cross the border illegally and reduces the burden on U.S. immigration courts and detention facilities. Critics contend that it puts vulnerable people—including asylum seekers fleeing violence or persecution—in dangerous situations in Mexico, where they may lack access to legal representation, shelter, or safety. The policy was ended during the Biden administration but this bill would mandate its reinstatement.

If passed, this would affect anyone seeking asylum at the southern border. Instead of being processed inside the United States, they would be returned to Mexico to wait for their court dates, which could take months or years. This means asylum seekers would need to find housing, work, and legal help in Mexico while waiting to have their cases heard by U.S. immigration judges. The practical impact would be significant for migrants and their families, as well as for border communities and immigration processing systems.

REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2025

Gill, Brandon

Return Excessive Migrants and Asylees to International Neighbors in Mexico Act of 2025 or the REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols as outlined in the January 25, 2019, memo titled Policy Guidance for Implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols.(The protocols generally required aliens who are not clearly admissible, including those seeking asylum, arriving by land along the U.S.-Mexico border to be returned to Mexico while their immigration proceedings are pending, rather than remain in the United States. On January 21, 2021, DHS stopped applying the protocols to newly-arrived individuals.)