Restrictive asylum policies have successfully deterred migrants.
Rosa Flores et. al 24, Award-winning CNN correspondent based in Houston, covering domestic news across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and international news for the network's worldwide platforms, Sara Weisfeldt, Supervising producer based in the Miami bureau, Shania Shelton, Associate campaign writer covering election and breaking news for CNN Politics, Migrant apprehensions have dropped over 40% since Biden announced asylum restrictions, DHS says, 6-26-2024, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/26/politics/migrant-apprehensions-dropped-40-percent/index.html - SDP
The seven-day average of migrant apprehensions has dropped more than 40% to less than 2,400 encounters per day since President Joe Biden’s executive action barring asylum at the US southern border went into effect about three weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Border authorities apprehended about 1,600 migrants along the US southern border on Monday, a drop from about 1,900 apprehensions on Sunday, a source familiar with the data said.
Despite the significant drop, Biden’s executive order remains in effect, DHS said. Senior administration officials have said the measure would be lifted when there’s a daily average of less than 1,500 encounters between ports of entry.
The latest figures, coming on the heels of Customs and Border Protection statistics that also found a sharp decrease in encounters since the asylum restrictions went into effect, are a promising sign that Biden’s actions to address the ongoing crisis at the border are working, the administration said.
“We indeed have seen a tremendous success early on, and I should emphasize that it is early on in our implementation of the president’s proclamation and our accompanying regulation,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CNN’s Kate Bolduan on “CNN News Central” Wednesday, adding that the executive order is “no substitute for congressional action.”
Under the rules of the sweeping executive order, migrants who cross the US-Mexico border illegally are barred from seeking asylum once a daily threshold is met. And unless they meet certain exceptions, they could be returned to Mexico or to their country of origin.
DHS has removed or returned more than 24,000 people in more than 100 repatriation flights to more than 20 countries, according to the agency. The swift removal of migrants has led to a more than 65% decrease in the number of migrants released into the country pending immigration proceedings, DHS said.
More Border Patrol agents have returned to the field and to the front lines of border security operations, including the interdiction of individuals who pose a threat to public safety, according to DHS.
Enhanced screening measures have helped identify known or suspected gang members, including members of the Venezuelan “Tren de Aragua” gang, DHS said. Anyone confirmed to be a gang member is detained and either referred for criminal prosecution or placed on expedited removal proceedings, according to the agency.
Responding to the new figures from DHS, Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, warned that, under the new restrictions, “migrants with credible claims of danger are being denied an asylum screening.”