(NewsWorthy.news) – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has admitted that migrants are arriving at the border attempting to “game” the country’s asylum system so they can be allowed into the United States.
Following efforts by both Mayorkas and President Joe Biden to downplay illegal immigration’s broader implications for the economy, society and national security, Mayorkas admitted to reporters that attempts to take advantage of the system are an issue. He stressed, however, that such cases do not speak for all encounters at the border, and that such attempts to game the system are dealt with accordingly.
The border crisis remains a major political issue approaching the November presidential election. In March 2024, Biden proposed a bipartisan border bill which depended on backing from Republican lawmakers at Congress. Biden said in April that he would continue to push to get the “strongest” bill proposed on the border passed, but blamed former President Donald Trump for impeding it for campaigning purposes leading up to the election.
Mayorkas’ recent comments about immigrants taking advantage of the country’s asylum system are more in line with those of Republicans than many Democrats. More moderate Democrats, however, such as Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, have called for more effective border control. As Republicans accuse Democrats of failing to address illegal immigration and Democrats accuse the GOP of deliberately sabotaging efforts to address the border for political reasons, Biden also faces criticism from progressives that he has veered towards his Republican predecessor’s policies on immigration.
Record numbers of migrants apprehended at the border have been reported by U.S. officials over the last three years. In May Biden was slated by border control officials over what they called “last-minute” responses to the border crisis during the year of the election. On May 16 the Biden administration announced plans to unroll a new asylum adjudication process that will involve migrants having their cases heard in New York City, Los Angles, Chicago, Boston or Atlanta. Biden is also considering an executive order to close the border if there are more than 4,000 daily crossings. Chad Wolf, who was the DHS Secretary under Trump, and Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot told reporters that the measures were for show. They claimed the new measures would not address the failures of the Biden administration in controlling the border since the last election.
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