Former Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf reacts to the record-breaking surge in migrant encounters as pressure mounts on the Biden administration to take action on the border crisis. The Biden administration has informed lawmakers that an average of 5,000 illegal immigrants are currently being released into the U.S. each day at the border, while over 670,000 illegal immigrants managed to evade Border Patrol last fiscal year. These numbers raise concerns about the scale of the border crisis.
During a briefing to the Arizona congressional delegation, House and Senate Judiciary committees, and the House and Senate Homeland Security committees, Department of Homeland Security officials disclosed that around 670,000 known “gotaways” were recorded at the border last fiscal year. This number exceeds the previous estimate of over 600,000 provided by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Lawmakers were also informed that an average of 5,000 illegal immigrants are released daily to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who provide assistance and sometimes facilitate their transportation to their intended destinations. If this rate continues, it could result in over 1.8 million illegal entrants in the current fiscal year.
Amidst the surge, an average of 1,600 migrants are being processed and released each day through humanitarian parole at the ports of entry using the CBP One app. Republicans have raised concerns about the administration’s use of this authority, alleging abuse, while officials deny these allegations. Border Patrol agents have encountered migrants from over 150 countries, highlighting the complexity of the situation.
The record for daily encounters was broken this week when over 12,000 migrants arrived at the border in a single day. This follows a record-setting 2.4 million encounters in FY23 and an all-time monthly high of over 260,000 in September. Since October 1, the start of the new fiscal year, there have been over 440,000 encounters. In the Tucson Sector, which has seen a recent surge of predominantly male adult migrants, border agents are outnumbered 200 to 1 in the field, exacerbating the challenges they face.
The Biden administration has requested $14 billion in additional border funding from Congress, including funding for migrant care, costs related to expedited removal, and assistance for cities. However, Republicans have blocked this request, as they seek to limit releases into the U.S. by raising asylum screening standards and reducing parole use. Some Democrats have expressed reservations about these proposals.
The administration argues that it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis and requires funding and immigration reform to address the broken system. It has emphasized the expansion of lawful migration pathways while asserting that it has increased consequences for illegal entry since the end of Title 42 in May. When questioned about efforts to collaborate with Mexico to halt migrants riding trains to the border, officials acknowledged the concern for the safety and security of noncitizens but did not provide specific details on prevention measures.
President Biden recently expressed openness to significant compromises to break the gridlock on border solutions. However, DHS Secretary Mayorkas defended the administration’s handling of the crisis and indicated that certain GOP proposals were not viable. He emphasized the importance of upholding asylum and refugee laws while finding practical solutions.
As pressure mounts on the Biden administration to address the border crisis, the situation remains complex, with no easy solutions in sight. The administration continues to face criticism from Republicans, who believe stricter measures are necessary, while some Democrats express concerns about limiting asylum and refugee protections. The ongoing debate underscores the challenges of addressing the border crisis effectively.
Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security. He can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter. Stay updated on the latest from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more political content by subscribing to this newsletter.
