Under threat of punishing tariffs on all goods imported from our southern neighbor, it appears Mexico has caved to Trump’s demands and is attempting to stem the flow of Central Americans at their own southern border. And it might just be in the nick of time.
This week on the Hill, acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that an astonishing 90% of illegal immigrants skip their asylum hearings after being released into the country. The department recently concluded a pilot program and found that out of 7,000 family units, 6,300 failed to appear for refugee status decisions.
Latest reports show approximately 600,000 aliens apprehended in the first five months of 2019, with only 82,000 deemed inadmissible and denied entry. Overwhelmed, underfunded, and without help from state and local governments, U.S. Border Patrol is out of options and staring down an unprecedented national security breach with undocumented, untraceable aliens.
But is anyone truly surprised?
What’s on The Table?
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is promoting his Secure and Protect Act of 2019: an ambitious plan to establish refugee processing centers in Mexico and Central America to keep applicants from disappearing once on U.S. soil.
McAleenan is positive the initiative will slash the unprecedented numbers of asylum seekers making the trek from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and put a stranglehold on human and drug trafficking enterprises:
“First of all, it would break the back of the smuggling organizations, they’re profiting from this cycle. It would provide access to asylum in country in a much safer manner than taking this dangerous journey and it would stop this flow immediately. I believe the vast majority [of the migrant flow] would stop.”
The initial litmus test for asylum seekers is claiming they fear being forced to return home. McAleenan calls this a “misaligned” standard, as most immigrants do not have a valid “fear” claim.
Coupled with intense restrictions and scrutiny on family detentions, the secretary further informed the panel that children were becoming a commodity for those illegally passing into America. “Unless you’re a single adult, it is very unlikely you’ll be repatriated,” McAleenan warned.
And currently, 60,000 children have entered DHS custody in just five short weeks.
Although Democrats sat mostly sullen with belligerent expressions during the Senate hearing, Dick Durbin (D-IL) could not resist taking a swipe at the Trump administration and blaming the current crisis -- that no Democrat would admit to just a few short months ago -- on what he perceives as instability:
“In less than two and a half years, there have already been four heads of this department, we have before us an acting secretary who has been on the job for more than two months. We cannot face this crisis effectively with a revolving door policy in the leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.”
But at least Durbin is admitting there is a crisis. That’s a big step for Democrats.
El Arte del Trato
Love him or loathe him, President Trump appears to have matters with Mexico well in hand, whether he bullied or negotiated the newly minted deal. Consensus was achieved on stemming the flow of immigrants into Mexico from Central America with armed troop deployment to Mexico/Guatemala border, detaining asylum seekers in Mexico until their applications are processed, and the United States committing to assisting Central America in financially stabilizing several countries.
If both sides stay true to negotiations, it will be one of Trump’s most artful deals to date.
Considering that the U.S Border Patrol encountered well over 144,000 migrants the month of May alone – and only God knows how many more slipped the porous, barrier-free zones – it’s past time to take control of the border and stem the shocking flow of illegals into our country without due process.
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