US: arrests of migrants at the border with Mexico skyrocketed after Biden’s rise to power

The monthly number of migrants detained at the United States border shot up 28% last February, the first month of the President’s government, Joe Biden, which keeps the divide with Mexico “closed” while struggling to develop a more “just and humane” immigration policy.

“We continue to see an increase in the number of migrants arriving at the border“Acting Director of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Troy Miller, said today. “The border is not open, and we continue to mount an orderly process for the processing of migrants.”

In February, the authorities detained 100,441 migrants who had illegally crossed the border or considered inadmissible to enter the country, which represents almost three times the figure registered in February 2020 (36,687).

Troy attributed the growing number of migrants to “Economic instability in Central America, the pandemic, a hurricane, persistent violence and unemployment.”

“If you put all these issues together one understands that people seek a better life”he added.

A CBP official added that “the migration and asylum processes were stopped abruptly for four years” during the presidency of Donald Trump, and that contributes to the migratory pressure that now occurs.

Despite the 100,441 immigrants who arrived at the border, just over 3% were authorized to stay in the US while 96,974 were expelled, especially due to the application of Title 42, a regulation established by the White House in March 2020. that allows CBP to expel foreigners seeking asylum at the border with the covid-19 pandemic as an argument.

Government Biden this measure still stands despite criticism from activists and groups that defend the rights of immigrants considering that Title 42 effectively seals the border with the excuse of the pandemic, although the Democratic administration gives time to develop your new immigration plan.

In this sense, Roberta Jacobson, the border coordinator between Mexico and the United States of the Biden Government, announced this Wednesday that they have restored a program, suspended by Trump, under which minors in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador will be able to meet with their parents, as long as they legally reside in the country.

The purpose of the Central American Minors Program (CAM) is to avoid the dangerous journey that many minors make from their countries of origin to meet their families in the United States.

The situation on the border worries the White House, which reiterates whenever it has occasion that the southeast border is “closed.”

Presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that Biden He received direct information on Tuesday from members of his Government who visited the border region this past weekend, when, according to national media, about 3,250 unaccompanied minors remained in federal custody waiting to be handed over to their families.

Troy said his agency is making efforts to transfer detained minors as soon as possible to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a unit of the Department of Health which, in turn, has difficulty finding shelter for these children.

According to official figures, in February, 71,598 individuals were detained or considered inadmissible to enter the country, 19,246 people traveling as a family – an increase of 164% compared to January – and 9,457 minors unaccompanied by their father or legal guardian.

The arrests of undocumented migrants have been increasing month by month since May 2020, and as the end of winter approaches (northern hemisphere) they show a similar trend to what happened in 2019 when they reached unprecedented figures.

Troy said the government “is gradually closing” the situation created by the Migrant Protection Protocol, or MPP, a program created by Trump under which about 70,000 people arriving at the border requesting asylum were returned to Mexico pending of the processing of your orders.

Biden, who has also proposed a program for the legalization of some 11 million undocumented immigrants who are already in the country, now faces the expectation of those who camp in Mexico with their MPP papers, and a new wave of emigrants.

This situation has given rise to Trump has assured in recent days that the border with Mexico is a disaster.

“Our country is being destroyed on the southern border, something terrible to see”, Trump said in a statement in which he indicated that this situation with him in power was not lived, although this February is the highest figure since June 2019 (with 104,311 immigrants intercepted), when the Republican was in power and that registered historically high figures.