According to federal data, since Joe Biden took office, more than 61,000 aliens who illegally crossed the southern border have been released into the United States.
Under President Biden, immigration agencies that would normally be tasked with apprehending and detaining illegal aliens are instead releasing tens of thousands of aliens. This is in addition to the administration’s insistence that alien families are not being apprehended at all before being allowed into the country without notices to appear.
Between February, March, and April, DHS allowed 61,312 illegal aliens to walk out of their detention facilities, a dramatic increase from the 18 people let go during the last month of the Trump Administration. This release of single adults and the release of families mentioned above does not include the tens of thousands of alien minors who have been discharged by HHS.
The Washington Examiner reports on the issue:
The Biden administration claims that it is still following a coronavirus-related health guidance to turn away migrant families who make it across the border. Data from the federal immigration authorities who apprehend and detain illegal immigrants, the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, revealed that instead of being turned away, many are transported to regional Border Patrol stations, where they are booked into the system and oftentimes let out the backdoor or dropped off at bus stations because the Border Patrol cannot physically accommodate the high number of families arriving and is not moving to deport them.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, told the Washington Examiner last week that Border Patrol agents are “overwhelmed” and “don’t have the time” to issue immigrants notices to appear. Headquarters in Washington approved they're using prosecutorial discretion to release tens of thousands of people on their own recognizance. Agents are giving immigrants papers that tell them to “contact the local ICE [Enforcement and Removal Operations] office once you arrive at your final destination.”
“It’s an honor system document. It’s an admission and release document, not a notice to appear [in court],” said Cuellar.
The Examiner also reports that ICE is also doing its own releases and holding people in hotels for short periods rather than putting people in existing facilities. Since the start of fiscal year 2021, ICE has released 20,400 aliens (in addition to the 61,000 released by the Border Patrol), all of whom were not given documents requiring them to appear before a judge.
For the complete story, please visit the Washington Examiner.
