Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday released a statement filled with inaccuracies regarding America’s growing border crisis.
“I want to share the facts,” Mayorkas claimed, though much of the information seemed directed at misleading the public.
• ‘We are expelling most single adults and families.’
A section titled “The Facts” began with the notably false claim, “We are expelling most single adults and families.” However, only 41% of family units crossing the border in February were expelled—hardly considered to be “most” by any objective measure.
That percentage, moreover, does not take into account the number of individuals within the families that are allowed to remain in the US. It also does not factor in unaccompanied children—thousands of whom are currently being stored in cage-like detention centers, making the actual number much higher.
Even more disturbing is the downward trend of illegal immigrant families expelled from the country. The DHS expelled 76% of family units in December, prior to Biden taking office. That means February’s percentage dropped by 35 points over a two-month span.
The percentage of expulsions also discounts the total number of those who entered illegally in the first place, which has grown exponentially on Biden’s watch. If nearly 100,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the border and only 41% were expelled, that would still represent 41,000 illegal immigrants remaining in the country since he took office.
• ‘The expulsion of single adults does not pose an operational challenge…’
“The expulsion of single adults does not pose an operational challenge for the Border Patrol because of the speed and minimal processing burden of their expulsion,” Mayorkas stated.
Border Patrol agents currently apprehend more than 4,500 illegal immigrants per day—more than four times the number considered a “crisis” during the Obama administration.
This would clearly appear an “operational challenge.” Add the return of the Obama era’s disastrous catch-and-release policy, and it is no surprise illegal immigrant numbers have already surged to nearly six figures in 2021 along America’s southern border.
• ‘We are not expelling unaccompanied children.’
Unaccompanied illegal immigrant minors from Mexico are expelled every day.
Instead, accepting unaccompanied minors entering the nation is limited to Northern Triangle countries that include Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
The Biden administration seeks recognition for humanely treating minors who cross the border. However, Mayorkas conveniently left out unaccompanied minors returned to Mexico, as well as growing problems caring for surging numbers of unaccompanied children crossing into the U.S.
• ‘We are encountering 6- and 7-year-old children.’
The DHS has recorded 75% of unaccompanied minors are over the age of 14. The entry of a very young unaccompanied immigrant is relatively uncommon.
However, the statement is worded to illicit thoughts of thousands of young children in desperate need of humanitarian care. In reality, it is primarily teenagers entering the nation for economic reasons.
• ‘Poverty, high levels of violence, and corruption’ driving migration…
Mayorkas’s statement cited, “Poverty, high levels of violence, and corruption in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries” as the principal causes for the recent onslaught of migrants.
In addition, he claimed COVID-19 and two hurricanes in Honduras have motivated families to cross into America. This is simply untrue.
The most recent Honduras hurricane was in December 2020.
COVID-19 statistics have decreased since December 2020. New cases in Mexico have dropped from more than 20,000 on the day Biden was inaugurated to just over 6,000 on March 13.
• ‘The prior administration completely dismantled the asylum system.’
The overt attempt to attack the policies of former president Donald Trump falls flat upon evaluation.
Trump’s policies were clearly different, yet were in some cases more effective. More immigrants were given asylum under the Trump administration than during former president Barack Obama’s second term.
Asylums granted in 2019 were higher than any years since 1990.
Further, Trump’s policies included construction of a border wall, along with ending the Obama era’s catch-and-release policy. Instead, illegal immigrants from Mexico awaited asylum hearings in Mexico rather than in the U.S.
• ‘Staying true to our values and principles…’
The DHS secretary concluded by assuring the public, “We are keeping our borders secure, enforcing our laws, and staying true to our values and principles.”
Whether due to incompetence or nefarious intention, the current crisis is based on the Biden administration not keeping the border secure.
Case in point: the Biden administration’s reinstatement of the catch-and-release loophole—a key example of not enforcing immigration laws.
Instead of deportation, immigrants may now remain within the nation until a hearing. But since the outcome of most asylum hearings is that the petitioners do not meet the “credible fear” standard to be granted formal refuge, there is little incentive to show up—particularly when sanctuary cities and states openly encourage violating federal immigration law.
The phrase “staying true to our values and principles” is also questionable. It depends on whose values Mayorkas means. Conservatives would certainly disagree with Biden’s open border actions as being true to American values.
Instead, the Biden administration’s immigration policies have pushed a more progressive approach to the issue than many Americans would support.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., visited border facilities in El Paso, Texas, on March 15.
“I came down here because I heard of the crisis” McCarthy said during a press conference .
“It’s more than a crisis—this is a human heartbreak,” he continued. “It didn’t have to happen. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration.”
