Under Biden, The Border Is Broken And Americans Know It

‘Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working’ And A Large Majority Of Americans Agree

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ‘Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working’ (The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

• “Four months after President Biden switched strategies to stem illegal crossings at the southern border, the new plan isn’t working. Border crossings from Mexico into the U.S. are on the rise again after an unexpected drop in May and June, when the administration ended its use of the pandemic-era measure known as Title 42 and replaced it with a new set of policies it said would work as a better deterrent.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

“About 63% of those surveyed in a recent Wall Street Journal poll said they disapproved of Biden’s actions in securing the border. The survey also showed a rise in those who named the border as a top issue since April.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

Border Arrests Have Once Again Skyrocketed To Record Levels, Overwhelming U.S. Border Agents

‘The U.S. Is Not Set Up To Handle The Numbers Of People Arriving,’ ‘The Resources Are Stretched To A Breaking Point’

“U.S. Border Patrol arrested roughly 182,000 people at the U.S.-Mexico border in August, a return to the same level of arrests it made the previous August under Title 42, according to people familiar with the data.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

“The resulting crush at the border has been so intense that the U.S. government doesn’t have the resources to use its new, harsher deterrence policy against most people crossing illegally, meaning most migrants are still permitted to leave the border with an immigration court date years into the future.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

• “‘The U.S. is not set up to handle the numbers of people arriving,’ said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington think tank that studies global migration. ‘They are trying to do multiple things at once, but the resources are stretched to a breaking point on all of them.’” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

“Large groups of migrants from Mexico, Central America and Africa have been crossing in recent weeks through the deserts west of Nogales, Ariz., to surrender to U.S. agents, straining CBP holding facilities and transportation capacity.” (“Border Arrests Surged In July, A Blow To Biden Migration Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/01/2023)

• “Smuggling organizations have shifted traffic to those areas because they know U.S. authorities have limited detention space and migrants who cross into Arizona are more likely to be quickly released, according to two CBP officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.” (“Border Arrests Surged In July, A Blow To Biden Migration Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/01/2023)

‘Federal Agents Arrested A Record Number Of Migrant Families Who Crossed The Southern Border Illegally In August’

“Federal agents arrested a record number of migrant families who crossed the southern border illegally in August, two officials with preliminary data said, highlighting the Biden administration’s most prominent immigration challenge after rolling out new border policies this spring.” (“Record Number of Families Cross Southern Border Illegally in August,” The New York Times, 9/01/2023)

• “The roughly 91,000 migrants who crossed together as families exceeded the 84,486 such crossings recorded in May 2019, the height of the border crisis during the Trump administration.” (“Record Number of Families Cross Southern Border Illegally in August,” The New York Times, 9/1/2023)

• “The number of migrant families crossing between official ports of entry started to rise in July, and illegal crossings overall in August increased from the previous month to about 177,000.” (“Record Number of Families Cross Southern Border Illegally in August,” The New York Times, 9/01/2023)

“Tens of thousands of Mexican family members crossed the southern border in recent months, soaring past previous levels. President Biden's decisions to end migrant family detention and launch an app for people to schedule legal border crossings have likely contributed to drawing more Mexican families, experts tell Axios.” (“Mexican Families Cross U.S. Border In Unprecedented Numbers,” Axios, 9/12/2023)

• “More than 10,000 Mexican family members were apprehended by Border Patrol after illegally crossing in July.” (“Mexican Families Cross U.S. Border In Unprecedented Numbers,” Axios, 9/12/2023)

• “For context, just 6,000 Mexican family members crossed in the entire fiscal year 2019, which saw crisis levels of family migration under Trump.” (“Mexican Families Cross U.S. Border In Unprecedented Numbers,” Axios, 9/12/2023)

“The increase in migrant families is a concerning development for Biden administration officials, as families have always been the hardest migrants to deport.” (“Record Number of Families Cross Southern Border Illegally in August,” The New York Times, 9/01/2023)

“Biden administration officials are also concerned with an increase in migrant children crossing the border without a parent or guardian.” (“Record Number of Families Cross Southern Border Illegally in August,” The New York Times, 9/01/2023)

The Huge Numbers Of Illegal Crossings In August Followed A 30% Increase In July

“Illegal crossings along the U.S. southern border jumped more than 30 percent in July, according to preliminary U.S. Customs and Border Protection data obtained by The Washington Post, dealing a blow to President Biden’s new immigration enforcement strategy at a time when his policies are facing multiple legal challenges.” (“Border Arrests Surged In July, A Blow To Biden Migration Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/01/2023)

• “U.S. agents made more than 130,000 arrests along the Mexico border [in July], preliminary figures show, up from 99,545 in June. Authorities allowed an additional 50,000 migrants to cross into the United States in July, primarily through Biden administration programs allowing asylum seekers to schedule appointments at U.S. ports of entry using the CBP One mobile application.” (“Border Arrests Surged In July, A Blow To Biden Migration Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/01/2023)

“Border crossings have historically dipped during the hottest months of the summer. But that did not occur in 2021 nor this year, an indication that migration patterns are more attuned to smugglers’ operations and perceived changes in U.S. enforcement, rather than the weather, according to CBP officials.” (“Border Arrests Surged In July, A Blow To Biden Migration Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/01/2023)

And Yet, ‘The Biden Administration Is Turning A Lower Percentage Of Border-Crossing Migrants Back Into Mexico’

NBC NEWS: ‘The Biden Administration Is Turning A Lower Percentage Of Border-Crossing Migrants Back Into Mexico’ (NBC News, 8/23/2023)

• “Biden administration officials say their new immigration policies have discouraged many migrants from trying to cross the border since the Covid ban known as Title 42 ended in May. But an NBC News review of border crossing data shows that the Department of Homeland Security is also expelling fewer migrants per day back to Mexico than it was in the last full month before the end of Title 42.” (“The Biden Administration Is Turning A Lower Percentage Of Border-Crossing Migrants Back Into Mexico,” NBC News, 8/23/2023)

• “On average, about 1,000 migrants have been sent back across the border into Mexico since Title 42 ended May 11, compared with nearly 3,000 a day in April.” (“The Biden Administration Is Turning A Lower Percentage Of Border-Crossing Migrants Back Into Mexico,” NBC News, 8/23/2023)

• “So why are a lower percentage of migrants now being turned back? The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment on the decline in expulsions to Mexico. One reason might be that it simply takes longer to process migrants under the new policy.” (“The Biden Administration Is Turning A Lower Percentage Of Border-Crossing Migrants Back Into Mexico,” NBC News, 8/23/2023)

These Are The Predictable Results Of The Biden Administration’s Disastrous Border Policies

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “This is what failure looks like…. It’s important to recall how we got here. Democrats campaigned against the Trump Administration’s policies as cruel. Upon taking office, President Biden ended such Trump-era policies as Remain in Mexico.” (Editorial, “Joe Biden’s Immigration Calamity,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/10/2023)

• THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “The signal went out to migrants that the border was essentially open. If you entered the U.S. and claimed asylum, the chances were good you would be admitted with a future date for an asylum tribunal you may never have to show up for. Millions of migrants took the hint and came in record numbers.” (Editorial, “Joe Biden’s Immigration Calamity,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/10/2023)

Biden’s Latest Strategy ‘Has So Far Failed To Gain Traction’ With ‘Unprecedented Numbers Of Migrants’ Heading To The U.S. Border

“The crux of Biden’s new strategy at the border is to dissuade migrants from crossing into the U.S. illegally by increasing the penalties for doing so—and by offering them newly created paths to move here legally. But that carrot-and-stick strategy has so far failed to gain traction. Unprecedented numbers of migrants are heading for the U.S., data from across Latin America show, and simply too many people want to move here for the new legal paths to be able to accommodate them all.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

• “Biden pledged not to put migrant families in detention, and the alternative his administration created—to keep them on ankle bracelets while they undergo a new, tougher initial asylum screening—is expensive to run. As a result, just roughly 2% of families who arrived in the first couple of months post-Title 42 were put into that program, which is supposed to result in rapid deportation if the family doesn’t meet the heightened standard. The rest are being given court dates, kicking off a yearslong legal process, and allowed to move anywhere in the U.S. in the meantime.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

Two Years Ago, Biden’s Administration Was Warned By ‘Career Officials At U.S. Customs And Border Protection’ That Relaxing Border Policies ‘Could Quickly Overwhelm The Nation’s Capacity’

“From its earliest weeks in office, the Biden administration has been playing catch up, scrambling to stem a growing immigration crisis on the US southern border … Republicans have assailed Biden's handling of the situation, blaming his early actions to overturn some of the Trump administration's draconian border enforcement policies for inducing what is shaping up to be a historic surge of migrants to the border. ‘These are all self-inflicted wounds,’ a Homeland Security official said.” (“How The Border Problem Caught The Biden Team Off Guard, And How They've Scrambled To Fix It,” CNN, 3/20/2021)

“The warnings began before Biden even took office. During the transition period, career officials at U.S. Customs and Border Protection tried to issue sober alarms to the Biden team about the likelihood of a crisis at the border that could quickly overwhelm the nation’s capacity. Senior CBP officials delivered Zoom briefings to the Biden transition team that included modeling projections showing a steep increase in the arrival of unaccompanied minors if Trump’s policies were suddenly lifted, according to one current and two former Department of Homeland Security officials.” (“‘No End In Sight’: Inside The Biden Administration’s Failure To Contain The Border Surge,” The Washington Post, 3/20/2021)

‘Biden Transition Officials Understood The Risks,’ ‘Yet Biden Immediately Embarked On An Aggressive Strategy To Roll Back’ Stronger Enforcement Policies ‘That Increased The Flow Of Migrants And Encouraged More To Try Their Luck’

“The situation at the border — which Biden and his advisers steadfastly refuse to call a crisis — is the result of an administration that was forewarned of the coming surge, yet still ill-prepared and lacking the capacity to deal with it. Administration officials have been plagued by muddled messaging, sometimes making appeals that seem directed more at liberal activists than the migrants they need to dissuade from coming to the country.” (“‘No End In Sight’: Inside The Biden Administration’s Failure To Contain The Border Surge,” The Washington Post, 3/20/2021)

• “Biden transition officials understood the risks, as well, identifying a surge of unaccompanied minors and a dearth of shelter space exacerbated by the pandemic as the most pressing problems. Yet Biden immediately embarked on an aggressive strategy to roll back Trump administration policies.” (“‘No End In Sight’: Inside The Biden Administration’s Failure To Contain The Border Surge,” The Washington Post, 3/20/2021)

• “Biden did not have adequate preparations in place when he began rolling back some of Trump’s policies and sounding a welcoming note.” (“‘No End In Sight’: Inside The Biden Administration’s Failure To Contain The Border Surge,” The Washington Post, 3/20/2021)

“During his first week in office, Biden signed a slew of executive actions aimed at undoing Trump's immigration policies and released comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Most notable among the changes has been the decision to no longer expel unaccompanied minors who show up at the border, resulting in more children coming into US custody. Those policy changes, some argue, sent a signal to migrants that it was the time to come to the United States, despite administration officials warning them it wasn't.” (“How The Border Problem Caught The Biden Team Off Guard, And How They've Scrambled To Fix It,” CNN, 3/20/2021)

• “The administration also took several steps — including saying it would allow unaccompanied minors into the country — that increased the flow of migrants and encouraged more to try their luck.” (“‘No End In Sight’: Inside The Biden Administration’s Failure To Contain The Border Surge,” The Washington Post, 3/20/2021)

The Biden Administration Was Particularly Adamant About Ending The ‘Remain In Mexico’ Policy

“But the administration has thus far refused to revive the Trump- and Obama-era practice of detaining migrant families at the border.” (“Biden Administration Considers Forcing Migrant Families To Remain In Texas,” Los Angeles Times, 9/07/2023)

• “The challenged program, known commonly as Remain in Mexico and formally as the Migrant Protection Protocols, applies to people who left a third country and traveled through Mexico to reach the U.S. border…. Soon after he took office, President Biden sought to end the program.” (The New York Times, 6/30/2022)

• “From late January 2019 until Biden suspended the program, more than 68,000 people were shuttled back to Mexico…. Immediately after taking office, Biden ordered an end to the program.” (NBC News, 6/30/2022)

“Biden quickly shut it down, but Texas and Mississippi sued. They said the Trump-era program vastly reduced the surge of migrants at the southern border, decreasing the numbers coming from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras by 80 percent.” (NBC News, 6/30/2022)

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS: “We have, though, already begun to design — and, in fact, have begun to implement — a new, innovative way to address the needs of the population that was forced to remain in Mexico during the prior administration…. [W]e have developed a virtual platform that enables individuals with active cases in the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program to actually register for relief using their phones.  The international organizations then work with those individuals to test them, process their cases, and transport them safely and, according to a defined schedule, to the port of entry where we are awaiting them and can process them through the port of entry successfully.” (White House Press Briefing, 3/01/2021)

With The Numbers At The Border So Overwhelming, Many Illegal Aliens Are Going To Democrat-Run Cities Across The Country, And As Their Communities Quickly Become Overwhelmed, Too, Their Leaders Are Now Understanding The Scope Of The Crisis

“The rising numbers continue to not only draw criticism from Republicans, as Biden runs for re-election, but also further inflame a political crisis within the Democratic Party. Leaders of blue cities and states are blaming the White House for the strain that tens of thousands of newly arriving asylum seekers have put on them.” (“Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/2023)

In Particular, ‘New York City Is Shouldering A Great Deal Of The Cost’ With Mayor Eric Adams Issuing Increasingly Dire Warnings

“New York City is shouldering a great deal of the cost, largely due to a decades-old law known as right-to-shelter that means no one who needs housing can be turned away. Adams, who went to court in May to try to end that obligation, said that the city could spend as much as $12 billion supporting migrants in the next two years.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: “Every community in this city is going to be impacted … We have a $12 billion deficit that we’re going to have to cut — every service in this city is going to be impacted. All of us.” (“In Escalation, Adams Says Migrant Crisis ‘Will Destroy New York City,’” The New York Times, 9/07/2023)

“The surge of migrants crossing the southern border has overwhelmed the city, with nearly 60,000 occupying beds in traditional city shelters and in more than 200 emergency sites. As New York City students returned to school on Thursday, city officials said that about 20,000 migrant children were expected to join them.” (“In Escalation, Adams Says Migrant Crisis ‘Will Destroy New York City,’” The New York Times, 9/07/2023)

“In August 2022, after greeting one of the first buses of immigrants arriving in New York City with handshakes and boxes of food, Mayor Eric Adams pledged officials would set ‘the right tone of being here for these families.’” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• “A year later, that tone has shifted dramatically. Adams is warning of dire consequences for the city after 110,000 arrivals. He’s begging the federal government for money, telling migrants at the border not to come and demanding state officials find other places to house those who arrive anyway.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• MAYOR ADAMS: “Let me tell you something New Yorkers: Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this … This issue will destroy New York City.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

‘Frustration Is Boiling Over In Democratic Strongholds From Boston To Chicago To Denver And Los Angeles’

“Frustration is boiling over in Democratic strongholds from Boston to Chicago to Denver and Los Angeles as thousands of migrants, many of them seeking asylum, overwhelm shelters, social services and already-stretched budgets. Not only is the situation creating tensions within cities on how to respond, it’s becoming a divisive issue going into the 2024 election.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• “In Los Angeles, the influx is worsening one of the nation’s most dire homeless crises.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• “Denver is reaching out to migrants at the border, telling them not to come and offering tickets to Chicago instead.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

• “In the Windy City, shelters are so full that police stations are housing hundreds of recent arrivals, who often set up sidewalk camps in residential neighborhoods during the day. Officials are warning of millions of dollars in budget-busting expenses and asking for help. And fissures are growing along racial lines, with Black residents questioning why so much is being spent on immigrants following years of neglect in their communities.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

“In Massachusetts, the only state with a right-to-shelter law that guarantees families with children a place to stay if they meet certain criteria, the crisis has been accelerating, with more than 80 cities and towns receiving migrants to date…. The number of families living in emergency shelters and hotels statewide has doubled in the past year, to nearly 6,300 last week; the cost has ballooned to an estimated $45 million per month.” (“As Migrants Are Placed Around Massachusetts, Towns Are Welcoming but Worried,” The New York Times, 9/10/2023)

• “Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency on Aug. 8 in a bid for federal help, joining New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., which have taken similar steps. On Aug. 31, Ms. Healey authorized more than 200 National Guard members to assist the more than 2,500 families living in hotels, a step meant to address a shortage of social service agencies to help incoming migrants.” (“As Migrants Are Placed Around Massachusetts, Towns Are Welcoming but Worried,” The New York Times, 9/10/2023)

• “In Boston and its suburbs, on Cape Cod and through much of the less populous western half of the state, the rapid influx has stressed local social service agencies and volunteer resources, and heightened political tensions, even among the state’s many liberal-leaning officials and residents. Many costs, like hotel fees and meals, are covered by the state, which also plans to reimburse local school systems at a rate of $104 per student per day.” (“As Migrants Are Placed Around Massachusetts, Towns Are Welcoming but Worried,” The New York Times, 9/10/2023)

“Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public health emergency on [in September 2022] in response to the thousands of migrants arriving in the nation’s capital by bus from Arizona and Texas.” (“DC Mayor Declares Public Emergency Over Migrant Arrivals From Arizona And Texas,” CNN, 9/08/2022)

• “D.C. has received about 60 busloads of asylum seekers since May [2023], raising the total number of buses sent to the District to 239, according to SAMU First Response, a nonprofit that has been the primary contact for new migrants in the District.” (“As Migrants Continue To Arrive In D.C. Concerns Remain About Capacity,” The Washington Post, 9/04/2023)

“Attracting new arrivals is crucial to support the labor market and cities’ growth, according to Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow for the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute, which collects data on the subject. Last year, foreign-born workers drove the majority of the US workforce expansion. But the surge in new arrivals has been difficult to absorb in such a short time, Chishti said. He points out that the political firestorm and fiscal strain in the Democrat-led cities comes when they still haven’t regained their footing from the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation is testing some cities’ commitments to being a sanctuary for migrants, Chishti said. ‘They realize welcoming is nice, but it’s not free,’ he said.” (“More Migrants In Big US Cities Bring New Tensions for Democrats,” Bloomberg News, 9/08/2023)

Incredibly, The Biden Administration Has Floated Addressing The Border Crisis By Implementing A ‘Remain In Texas’ Policy After Loudly Rejecting The ‘Remain In Mexico’ Policy

“The Biden administration is considering forcing some migrant families who enter the country without authorization to remain near the border in Texas while awaiting asylum screening, effectively limiting their ability to travel within the U.S., three U.S. officials told The Times.” (“Biden Administration Considers Forcing Migrant Families To Remain In Texas,” Los Angeles Times, 9/07/2023)

“The Biden plan would force certain migrant families to remain in Texas — or possibly other border states — by tracking their location through GPS monitoring devices, such as ankle bracelets, according to the three officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.” (“Biden Administration Considers Forcing Migrant Families To Remain In Texas,” Los Angeles Times, 9/07/2023)

“Administration officials have been considering the idea as a way to stem recent increases in the numbers of migrant families crossing the southern border, which reportedly reached an all-time high last month.” (“Biden Administration Considers Forcing Migrant Families To Remain In Texas,” Los Angeles Times, 9/07/2023)

“But the proposal, which recalls President Reagan’s efforts to limit asylum-seekers’ movements in the late 1980s, is likely to draw fierce opposition from immigrant rights groups and border-state officials. Since 2022, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has bused thousands of migrants out of his state to Democrat-run cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.” (“Biden Administration Considers Forcing Migrant Families To Remain In Texas,” Los Angeles Times, 9/07/2023)

FLASHBACK: Biden Repudiated A Policy That Would Have Kept Illegal Aliens Outside Of The United States

JOE BIDEN: “[The] ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy is dangerous, inhumane, and goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants. My administration will end it.” (Joe Biden, @JoeBiden, Twitter, 3/11/2020)

• PRESIDENT BIDEN: “Rolling back the policies of ‘Remain in Mexico,’ sitting on the edge of the Rio Grande in a muddy circumstance with not enough to eat and — I make no apologies for that.” (President Biden, Press Conference, 3/25/2021)