(DailyVantage.com) – According to a 61-page interim report from the GOP House Judiciary Committee staff, there has been a significant increase in migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Over 2.2 million encounters were documented in the initial 11 months of fiscal year 2023. The report further reveals a lack of “confirmed departure” for approximately 2.4 million migrants encountered from January 2021 onwards.
The report mentions operational challenges faced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to the surge in arrivals. It asserts that these challenges, combined with the current administration’s policies, have impacted the efficiency of arrests and removals. It critiques the administration for its alleged “open-border” stance and advocates for legislative reforms to address the situation at the border.
For the past 31 months, including every month of President Biden’s term, encounters at the southwest border have consistently exceeded 100,000. September saw an unprecedented 260,000 encounters, marking a historical high. Furthermore, since January 2021, over 1.7 million migrants have managed to evade capture by the U.S. Border Patrol, with potentially many more unaccounted for.
Overall, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported more than 5 million border encounters during President Biden’s tenure until the end of March. Among these, 2.46 million individuals have not been confirmed to have left the U.S.
Responding to the report, a White House spokesperson labeled it politically motivated and emphasized President Biden’s efforts to enhance border enforcement. The president had previously sought $4 billion from Congress to strengthen border security measures, including deploying more personnel, providing advanced equipment, and introducing technology to detect narcotics. However, the request has faced opposition in Congress.
The White House highlighted that nearly 300,000 migrants have been “removed or released” since May 12, following the lifting of the Title 42 public health order. Since January 2021, more than 3.6 million repatriations and expulsions have been carried out.
Regarding the lengthy processing times for migrants’ cases, the administration proposed expediting the procedure. However, its implementation remains pending.
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