Headlines for January 31, 2020

Human rights groups are condemning the Mexican government for its crackdown on Central Americans who travel through Mexico en route to seek asylum in the United States. Mexico has deported over 2,000 Central Americans over the last two weeks and has temporarily suspended all NGOs and faith organizations from accessing detention centers. This is Tania Reneaum of Amnesty International.

Tania Reneaum: “We are talking about the signals that are given that give clear indicators of a migrant policy that does not respect human rights, which also goes with the xenophobic policy of President Trump’s ideology.”

This comes as the Trump administration says it will expand the “Remain in Mexico” policy to Brazilian asylum seekers, who will now be forced to await their U.S. court dates in Mexico. Sixty thousand asylum seekers have already been subjected to the “Remain in Mexico” policy, where Doctors Without Borders says 80% of them report being victims of violence.