Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Biden v. Texas, which will determine whether the Department of Homeland Security must continue to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), a Trump-era policy that requires asylum seekers at the southern border to stay in Mexico while awaiting a hearing in U.S. immigration court. The Vera Institute of Justice issued the following statement:

“The MPP policy violates fundamental human rights. In the 2020 election, voters delivered a clear mandate for President Biden to reverse this approach as it created dangerous and often deadly circumstances for thousands of people pursuing their legal right to asylum. People forced to wait in Mexico have faced severe violence and intimidation, including rape, kidnapping, and murder. The Supreme Court must heed the evidence and listen to experts, including those working with directly impacted communities, who have made clear that keeping MPP would be disastrous for the government's ability to create a more fair, just, and humane immigration system.”

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About the Vera Institute of Justice
The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and activists working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.