USA reaches deal that would make asylum seekers wait in Mexico

The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump has reached a deal with the Mexican government to keep the migrant caravan, composed of thousands of Central American asylum seekers, within Mexico as the United States' court system processes refugee applications.

Migration activists have long argued that Mexico does not have the security conditions to offer safe haven for migrants feeling violence in Central America.

Their comments came on the back of a report in The Washington Post, which claimed Mexico and the U.S. had agreed on a deal named Remain in Mexico.

"The next federal administration does not consider in its plans that Mexico assumes the status of "third safe country" for the attention of Central American migrants or citizens of other countries that are in Mexican territory, nor for those who have that intention in the future".

"There is no agreement of any sort between the incoming Mexican government and the USA government", future Interior Minister Olga Sanchez said in a statement.

This could potentially end a system Mr Trump has decried as "catch and release" that has, until now, often allowed those seeking refuge to wait on safer United States soil.

Trump deployed USA military forces to California, Arizona and Texas in recent weeks, and threatened to close busy border crossings after thousands of migrants traveling as part of a so-called caravan forced their way onto Mexican soil last month.

Citing Mexican officials and senior members of President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's transition team, the newspaper said the agreement would break with long-standing asylum rules and present a new obstacle to Central American migrants trying to reach the United States and escape poverty and violence.

Outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto has also sought to stem the flow of migrants north by offering jobs to them and has received backing from the private sector in his efforts.

USA reaches deal that would make asylum seekers wait in Mexico

Many are now waiting in temporary shelters in the border city of Tijuana, leading the mayor declare a humanitarian crisis.

Trump threatened Thursday to shut down the border crossing entirely if his administration determines that Mexico has lost "control" of the situation in Tijuana.

It added that under the new rules, an applicant whose asylum claim is denied would not be allowed to return to Mexico but would remain in U.S. custody pending immediate deportation to his or her home country.

"They're going to have to open the borders (for the migrants) to put in the request", Vences said.

She spoke to the AP after a visit to the crowded sports complex in Tijuana. They have also distributed thousands of blankets, thin mattresses and personal hygiene kits. "No "Releasing" into the U.S", he tweeted.

Last week a United States federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from denying asylum to people who enter the country illegally.

Trump took to Twitter again Saturday to reiterate that he plans to do away with the USA catch-and-release system, which allows asylum seekers to work and study sometimes for years while their cases are pending.

Trump went on to tweet that if "for any reason it becomes necessary, we will CLOSE" the southern border with Mexico. Other than that our very strong policy is Catch and Detain.