Dear John,

Earlier today, WOLA’s Director for Defense Oversight, Adam Isacson, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, in the hearing “Remain in Mexico”.

In his testimony, Adam highlighted how the Remain in Mexico policy - officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) - has had devastating impacts on asylum seekers, as well as severe consequences for U.S.-Mexico relations.

Under the MPP, nearly 65,000 asylum seekers were returned to Mexico, where they were faced with dangerous conditions, including violence and kidnappings. These unsafe conditions were largely due to the financial opportunities the policy created for Mexican cartels. While asylum seekers were frequently victims of kidnappings, extortion and other forms of violence, it is estimated that the cartels profited millions of dollars.

Furthermore, the Remain in Mexico policy failed to deter migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S., resulted in a drastic reduction in the number of asylum seekers who had legal representation at their hearings, and strained diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Mexico.

Watch a clip from Adam’s testimony below, or watch the full hearing here. To read the full written testimony, click here.