U.S. expands return of asylum seekers to Mexico to new ports of entry

FILE PHOTO: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent participates in a test deployment during a large-scale operational readiness exercise at the San Ysidro port of entry with Mexico in San Diego, California, U.S, as seen from Tijuana, Mexico January 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Duenes/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expanding its program to send asylum seekers back to Mexico to wait out their U.S. court proceedings and so far has returned 240 people since starting the program in January, U.S. officials told reporters on Tuesday.

The officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the policy, which was rolled out at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego earlier this year, has been expanded to the Calexico port, which is also in Southern California on the U.S.-Mexico border.