H.R. 273: REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2025
Sponsor
Brandon Gill
Republican · TX-26
H.R. 273 orders “Remain in Mexico” back
Why it matters
If you arrive at the southern border seeking asylum, H.R. 273 says you could be sent to Mexico to wait while your case moves forward. The bill would force DHS to revive a Trump-era policy under a specific 2019 memo instead of letting the agency design a new approach.
H.R. 273 is a direct order to the Secretary of Homeland Security to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols, often called MPP or "Remain in Mexico." Rather than creating a new border system, the bill points DHS to one specific document: former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s January 25, 2019 memo on how to run the program.
In practical terms, that means some migrants and asylum seekers processed at the southern border could be returned to Mexico while their immigration cases are pending. The bill does not spell out new exceptions, new benefits, or new timelines in its own text—it relies on the earlier memo for much of the day-to-day framework.
The bill also says DHS must do this "notwithstanding any other provision of law." That is Congress's way of trying to make the order hard to sidestep, though courts would ultimately decide how far that language reaches.
What is not here matters too. The text includes no new funding, no staffing numbers, no detention capacity target, and no reimbursement formula for carrying the policy out.
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jan 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
H.R. 273 Bill Summary
What H.R. 273 actually does.
Asylum seekers could be made to wait in Mexico
The bill orders DHS to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols, a policy under which covered migrants and asylum seekers can be returned to Mexico while their immigration cases proceed.
DHS must use the 2019 Trump-era playbook
H.R. 273 ties implementation to Kirstjen Nielsen’s January 25, 2019 memo, so the agency would be directed to use an existing framework instead of writing a fresh 2025 version.
The order is mandatory, not optional
The bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out MPP. It does not leave the decision to agency discretion.
Congress tries to block legal workarounds
The bill says DHS must implement MPP despite other laws that might point in a different direction. Congress is signaling that it wants this mandate to control, though courts could still be asked to interpret that language.
No new money comes with the mandate
The text provides no appropriation, staffing target, grant program, or cost-sharing formula. It is a policy directive, not a funding bill.
Who benefits from H.R. 273?
Lawmakers and voters who want a stricter border policy
They would get a hard-coded return to MPP rather than a case-by-case DHS decision. H.R. 273 has 110 cosponsors, showing broad support inside the House Republican conference.
DHS officials who want a fixed rulebook
Instead of building a new program from scratch, the department would be told to use one named memo from January 25, 2019.
Supporters of reviving Trump-era immigration policies
The bill is designed to restore a previous border process, not just tighten current practice around the edges.
Who is affected by H.R. 273?
Migrants and asylum seekers at the southern border
They are the people most directly affected. If covered by MPP, they could be returned to Mexico instead of remaining in the United States while their cases are heard.
The Secretary of Homeland Security
This official would be under a direct congressional order to implement MPP, rather than deciding independently whether to use it.
Border agents and immigration officers
They would have to operate under a revived MPP framework tied to the 2019 memo, which could change processing, case handling, and coordination procedures.
Mexican border communities and authorities
Because the bill centers on returns to Mexico, communities there could again face the logistical pressure of housing and supporting people waiting on U.S. immigration proceedings.
HR273 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Jan 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
About the Sponsor
Brandon Gill
Republican, Texas' 26th congressional district · 1 years in Congress
Committees: the Budget, the Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform
View full profile →
Cosponsors (110)
This bill has 110 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 108 Republicans. Cosponsors represent 35 states: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, and 32 more.
Nancy Mace
Republican · SC
Andrew Ogles
Republican · TN
Randy Weber
Republican · TX
Eric Burlison
Republican · MO
Troy Nehls
Republican · TX
Michael Cloud
Republican · TX
Clay Higgins
Republican · LA
Nicole Malliotakis
Republican · NY
Claudia Tenney
Republican · NY
Tony Wied
Republican · WI
Riley Moore
Republican · WV
Lauren Boebert
Republican · CO
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Judiciary Committee
11 of 44 committee members cosponsored
13 Republicans across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 273 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Judiciary
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Immigration
- Introduced
- Jan 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 9, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with text, status, cosponsors, and committee referral for H.R. 273.
Department of Homeland Security archive page explaining the Migrant Protection Protocols that the bill orders DHS to implement.
Official USCIS overview of the asylum process relevant to migrants and asylum seekers affected by the bill.
EOIR runs the immigration courts where cases would proceed while affected migrants wait under MPP.
CBP is the frontline border agency involved in processing migrants who could be placed into the revived MPP framework.
The bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement MPP, making DHS the primary agency responsible.
Official committee page for the House committee to which H.R. 273 was referred after introduction.
H.R. 273 Common Questions
What does H.R. 273 do?
It orders DHS to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols, or "Remain in Mexico," using a January 25, 2019 policy memo as the guide.
Would asylum seekers have to wait in Mexico again?
For people covered by MPP, yes. H.R. 273 says DHS must use the program that returns some migrants and asylum seekers to Mexico while their cases are pending.
Does H.R. 273 create a new border program?
No. It revives an older Trump-era policy instead of creating a new 2025 system from scratch.
Which policy memo would DHS have to follow?
The bill points to former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s memo titled "Policy Guidance for Implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols," dated January 25, 2019.
Is restarting MPP optional under H.R. 273?
No. The bill says the Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement it, so the text makes it a mandate.
Does H.R. 273 include new money to run this policy?
No. The bill text does not include a new appropriation, staffing number, or grant funding to carry out the restart.
Why does the bill say 'notwithstanding any other provision of law'?
Congress is signaling that it wants DHS to carry out MPP even if other laws might complicate that order. How far that language goes could still be tested in court.
Where is H.R. 273 now?
It was introduced on January 9, 2025, and referred to the House Judiciary Committee the same day.
Based on H.R. 273 bill text
H.R. 273 Bill Text
“To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to continue to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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