The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data for June indicates a 28% drop in enforcement actions along the Southwest Border since May, from 144,278 to 104,344, outpacing last year’s decline by 11%.
The reduction in apprehensions accounts for decreases across all demographics, including unaccompanied minors, family units and single adults, as well as decreases in migrants from all Northern Triangle countries, particularly those coming from Guatemala.
(Hear from Washington Examiner reporter Anna Giaritelli on the decline in illegal apprehensions and how the New Jersey attorney general told sheriffs to limit their cooperation with ICE agents. Courtesy of the Fox Business Network and YouTube. Posted on July 9, 2019.)
Decreasing apprehension numbers will provide greater opportunities for the DHS to address capacity challenges for those in custody and speed the movement of unaccompanied children into the care of the department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
DHS has been taking a “whole of government” approach to confront the ongoing crisis and to fulfill our humanitarian and security obligations, which includes:
- Surging personnel from across the Department to high capacity locations on the Southwest border
- Requesting and receiving continued support from the Department of Defense
- Expanding medical services
- Establishing additional soft-sided facilities
- Surging rescue response operations, and
- Requesting and receiving emergency supplemental funding from Congress
(Chief border patrol agent in the El Paso sector Aaron Hull told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that he disputes the allegations made in the New York Time’s story about conditions at border facilities. Courtesy of CNN and YouTube. Posted on July 8, 2019.)
DHS is also continuing collaborations with our international partners, formalizing a number of initiatives with Northern Triangle countries to improve the lives and security of our respective citizens by combating human trafficking and the smuggling of illegal goods, helping to limit ‘push’ factors that encourage dangerous irregular migration to the U.S.
Additionally, DHS is working with the Government of Mexico to expand Migrant Protection Protocols to allow the United States to more effectively assist legitimate asylum-seekers and individuals fleeing persecution, while deterring migrants with false or meritless claims from making the journey.
And since the administration reached a new agreement with Mexico, CBP has seen a substantial increase in the number of interdictions on the Mexican southern border.
(Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway questions why Democrats are ‘afraid’ to put citizenship question on US census. Courtesy of Fox News and YouTube. Posted on July 9, 2019.)
These initiatives are making an impact, according to DHS. However, our nation is still in an ongoing border security and humanitarian crisis.
U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) made 688,375 apprehensions through the end of June, which is 140% higher than through the same period last year.
June apprehension numbers are still higher than those of last year, when we were already in a crisis.
We are past the breaking point and in a full-blown emergency.
“This situation should not be acceptable to any of us,” said DHS Acting Secretary Kevin K. McAleenan, in a statement Monday.
“I am proud of the men and women of DHS who are doing everything they can to achieve our humanitarian mission.”
“However, in order for us to solve this crisis and to create lasting change at the border, we must address the vulnerabilities in our legal framework.”
(Hear from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan regarding immigration. Courtesy of PBS NewsHour and YouTube. Posted on Jun 28, 2019.)
