Number of migrants in "Remain in Mexico" program drops sharply

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Wednesday that the number of migrants awaiting the outcome of their U.S. immigration cases in Mexico has fallen from 50,000 to about 2,500. Since January 2019, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has sent migrants, many from Central America and Cuba, to Mexico under a policy known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).

The policy has been a key element of Trump's push to curb waves of migrants seeking asylum in the United States. Speaking to a news conference, Ebrard said he expected the number of migrants in the "Remain in Mexico" program to remain around current levels. The number of migrant crossings at the shared border between the United States and Mexico has declined by about 75%, Ebrard added, without specifying a timeframe.