Posted on 07/22/2019 9:55:20 AM PDT by Kaslin
Kevin McAleenan, acting secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said last week that President Donald Trump helped the department remedy the humanitarian crisis at the Southern Border.
In particular, McAleenan emphasized at a Thursday congressional hearing that Trump’s diplomatic outreach with Mexico significantly reduced the number of illegal immigration into the United States.
“Thanks to President Trump’s direct engagement, we’ve entered into an agreement with Mexico in early June to address the migration flows that is making a dramatic impact — a 28 percent reduction in border crossing in June,” McAleenan, who is also the commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said.
In May, Trump threatened to impose severe tariffs on Mexico if the country did not take additional steps to reduce Central American migrants transiting through the country in order to reach the United States. As a response, Mexico agreed to mobilize its security force to crack down on the illegal aliens. These efforts, combined with the life-threatening summer weather that deters migrants, led to a sharp reduction in border arrests from 133,000 in May — a 13-year high — to 95,000 in June.
The acting secretary also noted that the White House helped improve the humanitarian conditions at the border facilities by requesting emergency supplemental funds from Congress. The emergency appropriation bill was signed into law on July 2 after Trump first requested the funding on May 1.
The additional funding pays for the construction of additional temporary housing facilities, the wages for “surge capacity” officers mobilized to deal with the crisis, medical assistance for migrants, supplies such as food and toiletries, and other items.
“I am confident that no law enforcement agency in the world is providing more critical life-saving care or medical support than U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” McAleenan said.
Reduced migration and increased funding has improved the conditions for the detainees in Border Patrol facilities. McAleenan noted that the Border Patrol now has less than 10,000 people in custody compared with 20,000 in June, while the Border Patrol currently holds 350 unaccompanied minors in custody compared to a high of 2,700.
However, the acting secretary stressed that “a durable solution to this crisis lies with Congress.”
He argued that Congress must amend the Flores Settlement to allow extended detention of family units together, reduce barriers to the reparation of children from non-contiguous countries, and modify the asylum system so that only migrants who are likely to prove their asylum case will be allowed entry into the country.
“There’s no-one in this room that has warned more often or more strongly about the overcrowding and the conditions in our facilities than I have. I’m very concerned about them. I’ve been asking Congress for help,” the acting secretary said.
McAleenan also said that after the end of the short-lived “zero tolerance” policy last year, 98 percent of detained migrant families are kept together, barring extraordinary circumstances. The policy, which separated migrant children with their parents and guardians, was terminated last year after an overwhelming public outcry.
“This [“zero tolerance”] initiative, while well-intended, lost the public trust, and it was right for President Trump to end it,” McAleenan said.
Specifically, migrant families are separated today only if Border Patrol suspects that a family member may have a criminal background, believe that abuse or neglect is happening in the family unit, or if the authorities need to provide emergency medical care for a family member, according to the acting secretary.
“Under current practice...separation of parents and guardian and children they cross with are rare and are undertaken in the best interest of the safety and welfare of the child,” he said.
Members of Congress nevertheless grilled the acting secretary on the legacy of the “zero tolerance policy,” arguing that there were some cases where CBP may have separated families without the proper reason, such as a family member having AIDS. McAleenan declined to comment on the specific cases mentioned by Congressmen because he said he wasn’t familiar with the particular details of them.
The acting secretary also defended the Border Patrol agents and CBP officers working for his agency from what he viewed as unjustified infamy in the view of politicians and the general public, emphasizing that Border Patrol agents have already made over 3,800 rescues since October 1.
“Why would an agency, if they have a deficit of empathy, create a border search trauma and rescue team to try and protect people making this dangerous crossing to make 4,000 rescues a year?" he continued.
Why would they "on their own time, with the collateral duty, apply to be emergency medical technicians so that they can help people in dangerous conditions — where’s the deficit of empathy there," he asked.
Let the whining and carping of the leftards begin!
Trump should tell them he wants that number down to zero or the tariffs go back on
While I cautiously optimistic, I question if the reduction in June is also seasonally related.
It gets much hotter at all border locations in June, so fewer people attempt to cross.
Wouldn’t the proper analysis be to compare seasonality of past years and see if this May-to-June decline is a typical seasonal decline.
“Trump should tell them he wants that number down to zero or the tariffs go back on”
Management controls were specifically included in the deal with Mexico. Mexican results. on the bottom line metric of how many are crossing, will be assessed for such enforcement actions at 3 and six months under the agreement, but monthly stats usually get publicized.
“I question if the reduction in June is also seasonally related.”
Seasonally adjusted, it was a 12% reduction.
The Mexicans will be assessed (subject to penalty) at three and six months. Six months is the major assessment, the three month is more for course correction, if results are not on track.
In addition to getting fewer arrivals, the “Wait in Mexico” policy (also part of the agreement) has expanded a bit more as well, to additional Ports of Entry in Texas (it started in San Diego - local teams need to organize and train with the court before implementing). Under that policy, non-Mexicans applying for asylum can be processed, given a court date a few months later, and sent back the same day they came, to wait in Mexico. So far, the total has been around 16 or 18 thousand returned since it started in January, in a growing trend.
“16 or 18 thousand returned since it started in January, in a growing trend”
While that is good news, but just shocked at the numbers coming in to the country. Those thousands entering and returned number a small city.
We are being invaded, month by month.
President Trump is doing what he can. But it’s a total shame what Congress is allowing to happen to our country.
Your factual posts are, as always, so welcome and informative.
Thanks for your response about the 12% seasonally adjusted reduction.
As for the wait in Mexico and return for a court date, I would hope they could establish courts at a halfway location right on the border!
At the border? Why not set them up in the US Embassy and Consulates in Mexico?
“I would hope they could establish courts at a halfway location right on the border!”
It was a big initiative of Jeff Sessions, while he was AG, to hire more immigration judges, and post more close to the border for quick turn backs. He graduated the biggest classes of new immigration judges ever. Congress cut that budget, and that effort seems to have slowed, but it is still the plan.
Is it Racism in Mexico from its leaders!!!
Mexico’s Presidential el Constiquesidor First family!
Mexico's First Family Facebook
Angelica Rivera, First Lady of Mexico, has shared precious family photo of the whole presidential clan across social media. In the photo we can see Paulina, Nicole y Alejandro Peña Pretelini, the "Destialndo Amor" star as well as Sofía,Fernanda y Regina Castro. She also took the opportunity to share some of the values that make her family what it is, reavealing some of the sweetest moments of her husband, Enrique Peña Nieto, from the comfort of their home. The photo was shared on her Facebook account and has over 92,000 likes.
The image really speaks for itself: a warm, close-knit family of 6. But Angélica Rivera emphasised the familial harmony that she and the Mexican President have created. "To have a family," she writes, "it is built and worked on with love everyday. As parents, let us be an example of harmony and peace to our children." The political beauty also published a photo on Facebook, in which President Peña Nieto can be seen taking time out from running the country to share a moment with the littlest member of the family, Regina. "He always finds time to be near us. Today, after dinner, talking with Regis."
The first lady's Facebook wall is indeed filled with images from her travels with her husband around the worlds, as well as intimate family moments of presidential life. The former actress is credited as being instrumental to Peña Nieto's election campaign.
White Mexican privilege !!
Normally I would agree with you. It is expected for numbers of illegals to decline when temperatures go up. That holds true for the illegals that travel through the desert areas.
The “asylum” seekers are different though, they are bused to the border in air conditioned buses and flown to the border in airplanes, also air conditioned. In spite of what the media wants us to believe, these large groups of illegals are not walking here.
Due to that I am not sure the heat is making such a difference this year. There was no decline in my area until Mexico started gathering up illegals before they got here. That made a difference from one day to the next.
Let’s hope you’re right. Thanks for your response.
Good start but we need to reduce by 99%.
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