US To Start Processing Asylum-Seekers From Mexico's Matamoros Camp - DHS

�WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2021) The United States will begin processing asylum-seekers from the Matamoros camp in Mexico hard hit by a recent frost wave, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday.

"As President (Joe) Biden continues to rebuild the nation's border management in a way that reflects America's values, addressing humanitarian needs in Matamoros has become a priority. We will work in partnership with the Government of Mexico, and partners on the ground, to facilitate the safe processing of current camp residents who qualify for this program" DHS said in a statement.

The move is in line with the administration plan to terminate the Migrant Protection Protocols, or "remain in Mexico" policy, which has forced an estimated 25,000 asylum-seekers to wait for their US immigration hearings in Mexico. According to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the informal camp at Matamoros, across the border from Texas, is home to 750 people who seek entry into the United States.

"This registration and process will be done as quickly as possible with strict enforcement of health and safety protocols and the most vulnerable prioritized for immediate review. Every individual will complete all necessary security screening, as well as testing for COVID-19," DHS said.

It added that asylum-seekers would be processed with the support of the Mexican government of Mexico and international humanitarian organizations. DHS warned that no new arrivals to the Matamoros camp would gain entry "through this limited process."