Catherine Rusoff
El Paso, Texas – Illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border in May fell more than 50% compared with record highs reported in December, giving the Biden administration unexpected relief during a period when migration has historically increased, according to internal government data obtained. by CBS News.
During the first 21 days of May, U.S. Border Patrol agents recorded a daily average of approximately 3,700 migrant apprehensions between official ports of entry. This represents a 54% decrease from the daily average of 8,000 in December, when illegal entries shot to a quarter of a million, a historic record.
May is also on track to see the third consecutive month-over-month drop in illegal border crossings, preliminary statistics from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security show. In March It is Aprilillegal crossings along the southern border have fallen to 137,000 and 129,000, respectively, according to public information government data. If trends continue, the Border Patrol is on track to record between 110,000 and 120,000 apprehensions in May.
Border Patrol apprehensions do not include the number of migrants processed at official border crossings, where the Biden administration admits about 1,500 asylum seekers daily.
While still high compared with pre-pandemic levels, the drop in migration this year has been unusual, bucking the trend in recent years of rising spring migrant crossings. Senior U.S. officials partially attributed the lower-than-expected levels of illegal crossings to an aggressive Mexican government crackdown on U.S.-bound migrants.
Mayorkas at the border
In an interview with CBS News in El Paso on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also credited the Biden administration’s efforts for the downward trend.
“We have dramatically reduced the number of encounters at our southern border,” Mayorkas told CBS News.
Mayorkas cited a “series of actions we’ve taken, not only strengthening our law enforcement, not only attacking smugglers, but also building legal pathways that allow people who qualify for aid to get to the United States in a safe, orderly manner.” It’s cool. “
The sustained drop in migrant crossings is politically welcome news for President Biden, who has faced withering criticism from two directions: Republicans and moderate Democrats who believe his immigration agenda is too soft, and progressives who argue that the his administration has embraced some Trump-era border policies. . Immigration has also emerged as a top concern for American voters ahead of November’s presidential election.
Aware of the politics surrounding immigration ahead of his election bid, Biden is considering an executive order that would seek to suspend asylum processing along the southern border as illegal crossings increase, three people familiar with the White House planning told CBS News . Officials aim to move forward with the measure, which would rely on broad presidential authority known as 212(f), in June, although the deadline could change, the sources said, requesting anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
While he did not confirm the expected executive action, Mayorkas said he was “not ruling out options.”
“We look at options…every day to see what else we can do to strengthen our border security, consistent with the law and values of our country,” Mayorkas said.
Administration officials have frequently urged Congress to reform the U.S. immigration system, warning that any executive action could be held up in court due to legal challenges.
Senate Democrats I tried and failed to advance a bipartisan border security bill for a second time on Thursday, calling the vote to highlight Republican opposition to the legislation in an attempt to change public opinion on the issue.
That proposal, which was brokered by the White House and a small bipartisan group of senators earlier this year, would give the president emergency power to end asylum between ports of entry when illegal border crossings reach certain levels. It would also preserve asylum processing at official ports of entry and allow migrants who pass initial asylum interviews to work in the U.S. immediately after being released from federal custody.
Most Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, rejected the border agreement, portraying it as insufficiently stringent.
Mayorkas said Thursday he was “very disappointed” in the rejection of the border deal.
“I think President Biden said that quite pointedly,” Mayorkas said. “Some want the problem for political reasons, rather than delivering[ing] the solutions that border security and the security needs of our country and the American people deserve.”
Camilo Montoya-Gálvez
