Fresh internal documents from HHS show how quickly the number of alien minors crossing the border is overwhelming the administration's already stretched resources, reports Axios.
In the week ending March 1, the Border Patrol referred to HHS custody an average of 321 minors per day, according to documents obtained by Axios. That's up from a weekly average of 203 in late January and early February — and just 47 per day during the first week of January, under the Trump Administration.
The documents also say the migrant shelter system is already at 94% occupancy and expected to reach its maximum before the end of March. According to Axios, spokespersons for DHS and HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the issue.
HHS has already moved to open “overflow shelters” - facilities horrifically slandered during the Trump administration - and increase the speed with which the department releases alien minors into the U.S. In the week ending March 1, an average of 174 minors were released from HHS custody each day, reports Axios.
Because of the HHS overload, kids and teens caught crossing the border without legal guardians are currently being held in Border Patrol facilities for more than three days, for an average of 77 hours, CNN reported.
This week, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas insisted the current situation is not yet a crisis, tells Axios.
Currently, the Biden administration continues to use an emergency public health order to quickly deport alien adults and families — including asylum seekers. Still, Biden reversed a Trump administration policy that used the public health order to quickly turn away unaccompanied minors.
The source who provided the internal Biden administration documents to Axios expects to see family migration rise over the next months, as well. In response, DHS is expecting a record number of alien minors this year, and HHS has already told the White House that it will need 20,000 beds to accommodate for the wave.
For the complete article, please visit Axios.
