Republican lawmakers are wasting no time setting the stage for a hard pivot on immigration policy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to retake the reins. On Thursday, GOP members in both the House and Senate unveiled legislation to bring back the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), better known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. First implemented in 2019 during Trump’s initial term, the policy required asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting their court dates in the U.S. Predictably, President Joe Biden dismantled the policy in 2021, swapping it for the widely criticized “catch-and-release” approach that many blame for the recent explosion in illegal immigration.
Senate Republicans held a hearing on the policy Thursday morning, underscoring their urgency in addressing what they see as Biden’s catastrophic handling of the border crisis. Their goal? Enshrine the “Remain in Mexico” policy into federal law, making it far more difficult for any future president to undo. After all, Biden reversed Trump’s executive order with a pen stroke and opened the floodgates. Republicans clearly don’t want history to repeat itself. If codified, the policy could ensure that asylum seekers face consequences for illegal entry rather than being released into the interior of the U.S. with little to no accountability.
Texas Representative Roger Williams, the driving force behind the “Make MPP Mandatory Act,” didn’t mince words in calling out Biden’s policies. Williams accused the outgoing president of endangering American lives and allowing chaos to reign at the southern border. His bill, along with complementary proposals from freshman Representative Brandon Gill and Senator Marsha Blackburn, seeks to restore “law and order” by requiring asylum seekers to await their hearings in their countries of origin. Williams framed the legislation as a common-sense return to the rule of law, saying it’s time America prioritized the safety of its own citizens.
Blackburn’s “CLEAR Act” takes things a step further by empowering state and local governments to enforce federal immigration laws. This measure would allow authorities to apprehend, detain, and transfer illegal migrants to federal custody, giving local jurisdictions more tools to address the border crisis. Blackburn didn’t shy away from criticizing Biden, blaming his open-border policies for the surge of illegal immigration and even linking his failure to enforce the law to the deaths of innocent Americans. According to Blackburn, Biden’s term was a masterclass in how to mismanage border security, and the legislation aims to ensure such lawlessness doesn’t continue unchecked.
As Trump’s inauguration draws near, Republicans are signaling a no-nonsense approach to immigration reform. By attempting to codify the “Remain in Mexico” policy and strengthen local authority over immigration enforcement, they are laying the groundwork for a sweeping overhaul of Biden-era policies. Whether these proposals pass in a divided Congress remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Republicans are eager to put Biden’s border failures in the rearview mirror and reclaim a semblance of order at the southern border.
