Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday declined to say exactly how many immigrants detained crossing the US-Mexico border between ports of entry have been released into the country under the Biden administration.
Mayorkas, however, claimed to “know the data” during an interview with Fox News “Special Report” host Bret Baier, and he said the figure was “more than a million [migrants] per year” but did not offer a specific number.
“Customs and Border Protection sources say that currently, they release more than 70% of the migrants who cross each day and sometimes more than that number. Would that surprise you?” Baier asked the head of DHS.
“Never. It wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Mayorkas replied.
“I know the data. And I will tell you that when individuals are released they are released into immigration enforcement proceedings,” he added, claiming that a “record number” of immigrants were “returned or removed” last year.
House Republicans threatened to impeach Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis. Fox News
Mayorkas is under threat of impeachment from House Republicans, who accuse Biden administration officials of dereliction of duty in response to the ongoing immigration crisis.
The GOP-led House Homeland Security Committee announced plans Wednesday to hold a Jan. 10 hearing to assess Mayorkas’ “failed leadership and refusal to enforce” the immigration law.
Mayorkas vowed not to resign if indicted.
“I lead 260 extremely dedicated and talented men and women at the Department of Homeland Security. I will continue to lead them in advancing the mission of protecting the American people,” he told Baier.
When asked if he would be willing to accept increased congressional funding for border security on the condition that it be used only for the detention and removal of immigrants, Mayorkas signaled that he would not.
Nearly 2.5 million migrants were found by US authorities crossing the US-Mexico border last year. AP
“The funds are needed to provide the Department of Homeland Security with more Border Patrol agents. The funds are needed to provide the Department of Homeland Security with more technology. The funds are needed to provide our department with more detention space – to provide the Department of Justice with more immigration judges so that justice can be administered more quickly,” he argued.
Mayorkas also refused to blame the historic number of immigrants entering the US illegally, instead blaming “authoritarian regimes” and “extreme weather events.”
“This is something that is not specific to the southern border of the United States,” he said. “This is something we see across the hemisphere and around the world. We have an increase in authoritarian regimes. We have more extreme weather events that push people out of their homes. We have poverty, and America is proving to be prosperous.”
During fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30, more than 2.47 million encounters with immigrants were reported along the US-Mexico border, according to data from US Customs and Border Protection.
Only about 142,000 non-citizens were deported to more than 180 countries around the world during the same time period, according to the annual Immigration and Customs Enforcement report.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
