The Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog has discovered that officials at the southern border frequently failed to obtain accurate addresses for tens of thousands of migrants released into the United States.
According to the audit conducted by the DHS Office of Inspector General, at least 177,000 migrants were released after providing either an invalid or illegitimate address, or failing to provide one at all, to Border Patrol agents.
The collection of addresses is crucial for tracking and locating migrants once they are released into the U.S. It allows authorities to send them documentation and determine which field offices should check in with them. Additionally, addresses are used to locate individuals who are subject to deportation orders.
The audit reviewed 981,671 migrant records between March 2021 and August 2022, covering the first year and a half of the ongoing migrant crisis. The review revealed that more than 177,000 records were missing, invalid, or not legitimate. Notably, over 54,000 address records were left blank.
The Inspector General's report stated, "USBP did not accurately and effectively capture valid addresses, in part due to the large number of migrants apprehended, as well as its limited coordination with ICE and its limited authority to administer compliance with address requirements. ICE also did not have adequate resources to validate and analyze migrants' post-release addresses."
During the period under review, Border Patrol released over 430,000 migrants with a notice to appear in court, 95,000 under prosecutorial discretion, and more than 318,000 under humanitarian parole. On average, the agency releases over 60,000 migrants each month.
The audit revealed that there were 97,000 apartment addresses without unit numbers, and 780 addresses were used more than 20 times. Seven addresses were recorded over 500 times, some of which belonged to federal agencies or charities, serving as temporary residences. ICE also identified one individual who served as a point of contact for 100 migrants.
The report emphasized the significance of valid post-release addresses, stating, "The notable percentage of missing, invalid, or duplicate addresses on file means DHS may not be able to locate migrants following their release into the United States. As the Department continues to apprehend and release tens of thousands of migrants each month, valid post-release addresses are essential."
The Inspector General found that sectors with the highest number of migrants had the most errors. The report highlighted previous interviews suggesting that the increased flow of migrants led agents to prioritize speed over accuracy when entering data. It also pointed out limited coordination between Border Patrol and ICE, as well as limited authority to verify addresses.
Regarding migrants required to check in with ICE, the audit found that 52% of those with a dash input as the address did not comply with the requirement, based on a sample of 25,000. Overall, 28% of migrants failed to check in.
The agency recommended a plan of action to coordinate requirements and processes, an ICE policy to validate addresses, an analysis of migrant data to identify trends, and an evaluation of resources for address oversight. However, DHS disagreed with all of the recommendations and criticized the report, noting that challenges in verifying addresses have been a longstanding issue.
A DHS official highlighted several steps the agency has taken to improve tracking, including the implementation of a new unified immigration portal, the launch of an online change-of-address form in April, and the establishment of a specialized docket for individuals without a valid address. They also emphasized the funding secured to hire more processing officials and agents.
A spokesperson for DHS stated, "Our immigration system is broken and outdated, and Congress needs to fix it. Even under those outdated laws, the Department has improved how noncitizens are processed and vetted. Individuals seeking to come to the United States are screened by DHS and our intelligence and counterterror partners to prevent anyone who poses a threat from entering the country."
The spokesperson added, "The IG ignores legal and operational constraints that make it impossible for the Department to implement its recommendations. The report also excludes several recent DHS improvements to how we track and update noncitizen addresses across agencies."
The release of this report coincides with a surge in migrant numbers. Border Patrol has set bookout targets to handle the influx of migrants at the border. On Monday, Border Patrol apprehended over 7,300 illegal immigrants and currently has more than 22,000 migrants in custody.
Login