House Republicans are proposing a new bill called the “Remain in Canada Act,” which aims to replicate a key Trump-era border policy at the northern border with Canada. The policy, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or “Remain in Mexico,” was implemented during the Trump administration to address the increasing number of migrants entering the U.S. It required migrants to wait in Mexico for their asylum hearings instead of being released into the interior of the country.
Conservatives have praised the MPP for ending the “pull factor” that encourages migrants to make the dangerous journey to the U.S. Currently, migrants are often released into the interior and may have to wait for their court hearings for up to eight years. The Biden administration abolished the MPP, arguing that it was ineffective and subjected migrants to harsh conditions in Mexico. Instead, the administration has focused on initiatives to speed up asylum processing, such as funding for immigration judges and reducing wait times to a matter of months.
While much attention has been given to the crisis at the southern border, the northern border has also experienced a significant increase in encounters. In FY 2023, there were over 189,000 encounters at the northern border, up from 27,180 in FY 2021. This surge in apprehensions includes migrants from 79 different countries, with Mexico, India, Venezuela, Haiti, and Romania being the top five countries of origin.
Rep. Brian Babin, who introduced the “Remain in Canada Act,” accused the Biden administration of intentionally allowing mass migration and called for action to address the overwhelming influx of migrants. He believes that implementing a similar policy at the northern border will help secure America’s borders and prevent illegal immigration. The bill has garnered support from nine co-sponsors, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Mary Miller, Andy Ogles, and Keith Self.
The introduction of this bill comes as immigration is expected to be a major issue in the 2024 campaign. Republicans have been advocating for the re-implementation of Trump-era policies, while the Biden administration has called for additional funding and reforms to address what they consider a broken immigration system.
It remains to be seen how this proposed legislation will progress and whether it will garner enough support to become law. As the debate over immigration continues, it will undoubtedly be a key issue in the upcoming election cycle.
