National overview
Biden Admin. Launch Catch and Release as Illegal Border Crossings Return to Crisis Levels
The Biden administration is bringing the so-called ‘catch-and-release’ policy back to the southern border, just as illegal border crossings boast and are overwhelming detention facilities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is re-enacting the Obama-era policy of releasing newly arrested migrants in U.S. cities along the South Texas border, citing coronavirus problems at detention facilities as well as increasing numbers detained migrants. The pandemic has the ability of the CBP to house and transport detained migrants, the agency said, and meanwhile the number of migrants arriving at the border and crossing into the US illegally is strong, especially unaccompanied children and families from Central America. Some of the new migrants said that violence and poverty in their home countries as well as promises of a more welcome US under President Biden made their decision to undertake the journey north to the US border. Furthermore, Mexico refuses to accept families with children under the age of 12 in areas with large and growing migrant camps, CBP said. “CBP has seen a gradual increase in border attacks since April 2020, which, exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines for social distance, have caused some facilities to reach the maximum safe holding capacity,” said CBP officer Rod Kise , said. ‘According to long-standing practices, when long-term solutions are not possible, some migrants will be processed for removal, a notice will have to appear and be released in the US to await a future immigration trial. As the administration reviews the current immigration process and balances it with the ongoing pandemic, we will continue to use all current authorities to prevent individuals from being kept in a municipal environment at any time, ”Kise continued. President Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order revoking an order from the Trump administration, ending the “catch and release” policy and leading to other improvements to immigration enforcement. Former Home Secretary acting Chad Wolf warned on Friday that illegal border crossings had skyrocketed in recent months, creating a “very dangerous” situation on the southern border. CBP currently faces between 3,000 and 3,500 illegal border crossings every day, Wolf said. He noted that Jeh Johnson, former DHS secretary of the Obama administration, said in 2019 that 1,000 illegal crossings would overwhelm the system, citing 4,000 fears a day as a crisis level. The increase in illegal border crossings in 2019 was the last time CBP was forced to revive the capture and release policy. Wolf also pointed out that border patrol agents on Monday night arrested eleven Iranian civilians near San Luis, Arizona after crossing the border illegally.