Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday blamed the Trump administration for the surge of illegal aliens and unaccompanied minors at the United States-Mexico border. Even though the conditions are deplorable, Mayorkas believes the Biden administration is somehow "addressing the humanitarian needs" of the children in DHS custody.
According to Mayorkas, the crisis at the border is a result of a "dismantled system" that was a result of the Trump administration's tough stance on illegal immigration. The DHS secretary also blamed the lack of an "ordinary, safe, and just" transition process between the two administrations.
"We are executing on our plans. We have dispatched FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Administration, to assist HHS in building additional capacity to address the needs of children and to move those childrens [sic] through to their sponsors in the United States, to shelter them in the way that they deserve and that their needs require," Mayorkas said on ABC's "This Week."
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas addresses the surge of migrants at the border: "When I say it takes time, I mean it. Because we are dealing with a dismantled system." https://t.co/COj3g4MhLm pic.twitter.com/cMAE5SO8hp
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 21, 2021
In a separate interview on CNN's "State of the Union," the DHS secretary reiterated his blame on the Trump administration.
"There was a system in place in both Republican and Democratic administrations that was torn down during the Trump administration and that's why the challenge is more acute than it has ever been before," Mayorkas said.
Host Dana Bash pressed the secretary on the recommendations that were given prior to the Biden administration taking office. Specifically, she wanted to know why the administration made immigration-related decisions before HHS and FEMA were "up and running" and able to handle the surge in illegal aliens.
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"We are working in parallel streams, working to care for these vulnerable children and moving them into the shelter of HHS as fast as possible," Mayorkas said.
According to the secretary, DHS is working with the Northern Triangle countries to establish processing centers in their country "to avoid the need for these children to take the perilous journey" to the United States.
"What we are doing is addressing the humanitarian needs of those children in a way that reflects our values and our principles as a country," Mayorkas said.
DHS Chief Mayorkas places blame on the Trump admin for the current surge in migrants at the border: "There was a system in place in both Republican and Democratic administrations that was torn down during the Trump administration" #CNNSOTU https://t.co/oZKfufDioC pic.twitter.com/617RAvysBP
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 21, 2021
What Mayorkas fails to mention is that the conditions: Border Patrol holding facilities for unaccompanied minors had to roll back COVID restrictions because of the overwhelming number of people heading to the southern border. The facilities went from 50 percent capacity to 100 percent capacity overnight. Fast forward a week later and those same facilities’ capacity has soared to more than 700 percent. The Department of Homeland Security is asking non-law enforcement employees throughout the agency to “volunteer” so agents can be freed up for actual border protection duties. Now FEMA is being sent in to render aid over the next 90 days.
Central American caravans began making the trek to the United States because they knew they had to get to the border before Biden’s first 100 days were up. They have a limited timeframe to cash in on Biden’s policy shift.
"What I want for my people, I just want patience and pass to the U.S. because they have a new president," a Honduran national said in mid-January. "President Biden is going to help all of us. He's giving us 100 days to get to the U.S. and give us a paper so we can get a better life for our kids and our family."
Biden and his administration seem to think him telling illegal aliens to suddenly stay home is going to prevent them from coming to the United States. Why would they do that when on day one Biden halted all deportations for the first 100 days of his administration, promised amnesty for those who are in the country illegally and stopped construction of the border wall? He's welcoming them with open arms.
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