The number of immigration encounters under the Biden administration has fallen short of the definition of a “crisis” set by President Barack Obama’s former homeland security chief — just as DHS predicts those numbers will rise further when Title 42 expires next week.
Jeh Johnson, who served as Homeland Security Secretary from 2013 to 2017, said in 2019 that the 1,000-a-day crossing was a huge number when he was in office as the Trump administration faced the border crisis.
“My staff can tell you that if it was under 1,000 the day before, it was a relatively good number, and if it was over 1,000, it was a relatively bad number and I would be in a bad mood all day.” he said on MSNBC in March 2019.
“There were 4,000 scares on Tuesday. I know 1,000 will hit the system and I can’t imagine what 4,000 people in a day would look like, so we’re really in a crisis,” he said.
BIDEN ADMIN SEEKS $4 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL BORDER FUNDING, PREDICTS POST-REASON 42 GROWTH
A migrant caravan of more than 1,000 people crossed the US-Mexico border into El Paso, Texas on Sunday, December 11, video shows.
(Fox News)
More than 2.3 million immigrants crossed in FY2022, up from 1.7 million in FY21. This FY22 number averages about 6,500 per day. Although this includes duplicate passes (which is higher due to the rapid expulsion of 42 titles), it is clear that the authorities are overwhelmed in many areas. Fox News reported this week how immigrants are being dumped on street corners in El Paso for lack of space.
So far in FY23, that number has surpassed the past two fiscal years, with more than 500,000 immigrants arriving since October. There are fears that the number could rise significantly in the coming days, as Title 42, the public health order that allows rapid removal of immigrants at the border, expires in March 2020 with a court order.
Republicans, Democrats and the administration have expressed concern that the number of immigrants will increase after the order is eased, and believe that immigrants are more likely to be let into the United States.
FOX NEWS CAMERAS SHOW US MASSIVE MIGRANT ARRIVAL, 500,000 for FY23.
The Biden administration has submitted a request for $4 billion in additional border funding, based on a projected “flow bill” in the middle. 9,000 and 15,000 migrant crossings 42 titles will expire once a day.
While DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that “the entire hemisphere is suffering from a migration crisis,” the Biden administration has refrained from calling what’s happening at the border a crisis.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented movement of people from country to country. It’s not limited to the southern border,” he told a congressional hearing last month.
DHS said it has a six-point plan to deal with the rise after Title 42. The plan includes increasing resources for the border, strengthening cooperation with countries in the Western Hemisphere, and making greater use of alternative enforcement mechanisms such as expedited enforcement. take down.
AN ILLEGAL MIGRANT CARAVAN OF OVER 1,000 ENTERS EL PASO, TEXAS
The $4 billion funding request provides funding for “border management,” and DHS uses it for soft facilities, migrant care, transportation, processing, and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. In an interview on Tuesday during a visit to El Paso, Texas, – said Mayorkas his agency’s approach is multifaceted.
“We’re keeping in mind that No. 42 will end early next week,” Mayorkas told The El Paso Times. “We are mindful that we need to coordinate with our international partners, not just the non-profit organizations we work closely with, and cities like El Paso along the border. move as fast as you can.”
Meanwhile, the White House is urging Republicans who have criticized the Biden administration’s approach to the southern border to agree to the funding request.
“If Republicans in Congress are serious about border security, they will ensure that the men and women at the Department of Homeland Security have the resources they need to protect our borders and create a safe, orderly and humane immigration system,” said a White House aide. This was announced by press secretary Abdulla Hasan.
Fox News’ Rich Edson and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.