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MPP, CONTINUED — Last week, the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the ongoing legal battle over the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), a.k.a. "Remain in Mexico," Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports for CBS News. The request from the Justice Department follows two lower court rulings that have hindered the Biden administration’s attempts to terminate MPP. 200 adult asylum-seekers have so far been returned to Mexico under the court-ordered reinstatement of the policy, Montoya-Galvez writes, and it’s expected to expand in the coming weeks. Keep in mind the policy’s initial launch in 2019 resulted in tens of thousands of migrants being forced to await U.S. court dates in makeshift border camps — and "[h]undreds reported being assaulted, kidnapped or otherwise victimized while waiting in Mexico." UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN — More from Camilo at CBS News: 122,000 unaccompanied migrant children were taken into U.S. custody in fiscal year 2021 — "an all-time high that shattered previous records, according to new government figures obtained by CBS News." While arrivals have declined since a peak this summer, officials "recorded processing nearly 14,000 migrant minors traveling without parents [in November], the highest tally for any November in history" as migrants of all ages flee poverty, violence, and displacement in their home countries. "We urge the government to do some deep soul searching and learn from past mistakes — especially around the need for more foster homes for immigrant children," said Leecia Welch, a lawyer representing migrant children in a federal court case, emphasizing the need for faster vetting of sponsors and expanded shelter capacity.
‘I SEE MYSELF’ — As a former refugee from Vietnam, Tram Pham also understands what it’s like to come to the U.S. and find relief in someone speaking her native language, or simply an understanding of their struggles. As a nurse at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s TB and Refugee Clinic in Santa Clara, California, Pham wants to be that point of welcome and comfort for her patients, including newly arriving Afghan evacuees, Janie Har writes for the Associated Press. "I can see patients from all over the world come in. I see, you know, Vietnamese patients. I see a lot of refugee patients ... I see myself." The clinic is part of a vast network of organizations supporting President Biden’s initiative to resettle nearly 100,000 people from Afghanistan by September of this year, Har notes. Meanwhile, the Associated Press’ Philip Marcelo and Amy Taxin reports that hundreds of Afghans seeking humanitarian parole have been denied entry to the U.S., underscoring the complexities of the process. On the local front:
PODCAST ROUNDUP — We’re excited to bring you more unique stories on ‘Only in America’ this year, and while you’re waiting for the podcast’s return later this month, check out our top episodes of 2021, re-released last week. And don’t miss our final episode of the year, featuring filmmakers and MacArthur fellows Cristina Ibarra and Alex Rivera sharing their thoughts on representation, storytelling, and capturing the immigrant experience. Thanks for reading, Joanna |
