In a recent interview with CBS News, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, conceded that certain migrants attempt to exploit the U.S. asylum system
Mayorkas, who has previously been hesitant to label the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border as a "crisis," acknowledged the existence of individuals who aim to "game" the asylum process.
During the interview, which took place on May 23, Mayorkas stated, "The reality is that some people do indeed try to game the system. That does not speak to everyone whom we encounter, but there is an element of it, and we deal with it accordingly." He also contended that a border bill, which was thwarted by House Republicans, could have ameliorated the situation by providing more tools to handle those attempting to manipulate the system and by directing traffic to ports of entry in a more orderly fashion.
This admission comes amidst the ongoing crisis at the southern border, an issue that continues to be a major concern for voters. According to the most recent data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol encountered 128,884 migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in April. Although this figure represents a decrease from the 183,921 encounters recorded in April 2023, the total number of encounters during the Biden administration remains high.
CBP data reveals that there were 2 million migrant encounters in the fiscal year 2023, and Border Patrol has already encountered 1.1 million in the fiscal year 2024. Republicans have sought to hold Mayorkas accountable for these alarmingly high numbers. In February, the GOP-led House impeached the DHS chief, but the charges were dismissed by the Democrat-controlled Senate in April.
Former President Donald Trump also addressed the issue of foreign nationals exploiting the asylum system during his presidency. In November 2018, he stated, "As human smugglers and traffickers have learned how the game is played and how to game the system, we have witnessed a staggering 1,700 [percent] increase in asylum claims since the year 2010. They understand the law better than the lawyers understand the law."
Mayorkas has consistently advocated for additional resources to expedite asylum claims. His recent admission underscores the complexity of the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the challenges faced by the Homeland Security in managing it.
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