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MPP Matamoros thread. Leaving Texas today with conflicted emotions. I’m glad I was invited to help with the legal workshops and sad that I can’t stay longer or do more. We’re all being pulled in so many directions with so many different crises across the country. /1 
But this situation is inhumane and devastating to witness. People told us stories of the horrible things that happened to them, yet we know that most won’t be successful because of the barriers this administration has created for asylum seeker. /2
Aside from the changes in the law, just the logistics of MPP make it almost possible for people to successfully represent themselves. Only those few fortunate one who can pay AND find an attorney willing to take MPP cases might have a chance to succeed. /3
People are living in tents next to a bridge while they wait for their court hearings. Some people I spoke to won’t have their first hearing until January! They are scared of being in Mexico and don’t know how they will survive for the months they will have to wait for court. /4
There are so many issues with MPP and the lack of humanity being afforded to asylum seekers is devastating. There are so many questions about how things are supposed to work and no one, not even the government, knows how it is supposed to work bc they didn’t plan anything. /5
Even the asylum application itself is hard to fill out because it was meant for people already in the US.
We also saw so many issues with the Notice to Appear, the charging document, that should have made it defective on its face, but the court has been accepting them like. /6
We also saw so many issues with the Notice to Appear, the charging document, that should have made it defective on its face, but the court has been accepting them like. /6
Not only are the putting whatever address they want on the NTA, usually the bridge address, but even more concerning, they are not fully completing them. /7
DHS is purposely not checking some of the boxes on the NTA so that if the person successfully makes it out of MPP and is placed in detention, they can change it later to make them ineligible for bond and keep them detained. /8
As immmigration attorneys, we’re used to DHS’ tactics, but what’s going on with MPP is a system created to deny due process to asylum seekers and try to get everything done as fast and as in the dark as possible. I’m disgusted that my government is doing this. /fin
