Washington DC - The Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) may go back into effect as early as Monday, despite Biden promising to end the policy.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to reinstate MPP, more commonly known as "Remain in Mexico," on or around December 6, they said in a memo.

MPP is a controversial policy instated under the Trump administration that saw tens of thousands of migrants sent across the Southern border to await US court dates.

In many cases, people had to wait years in Mexico, fearing for their safety in dangerous locations.

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Biden initially said he wanted to end MPP entirely. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in June directed the department to do everything necessary to bring the program to an end.

But in August, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of upholding a lower court decision calling for MPP's reinstatement.

This time around, the DHS said it was working on several changes to address "humanitarian concerns" about the policy, including ensuring that migrants have access to secure housing, safe transport, healthcare, Covid-19 vaccines, and work permits while in Mexico.

The DHS said that going forward, asylum proceedings would "generally" conclude after six months. They are also trying to increase transparency and expand access to legal counsel for people in the program.

Nevertheless, immigrant rights advocates have blasted the move, suggesting that Biden doesn't care enough about ending MPP to throw his weight behind the issue as president.

Others have pointed out that the Biden administration's version of the policy actually goes further than Trump's, because any migrant from the Western Hemisphere – including Haitians – could be impacted under the new guidelines.

"The Administration remains committed to building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system that upholds our laws and values," the DHS memo said.