Interior Minister Alejandro Mayorkas shifted from crime to defense on Wednesday during successive hearings, saying the department was preparing to deal with increased migration levels and warned of more severe consequences for those who repeatedly cross the border illegally. .
Faced with criticism from Republicans in two panels, Majorca said the Homeland Security Ministry (DHS) was preparing to reopen the asylum system, largely blocked by Title 42, a border policy originally launched by the Trump administration.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered that Title 42 be repealed on May 23, and the administration faced a political storm over the issue, with Republicans tackling the border as a medium-term issue and some vulnerable Democrats urging the White House to reverse.
“We expect migration levels to increase as smugglers seek to take advantage of and profit from vulnerable migrants,” Majorcas said in his testimony.
“We will continue to enforce our immigration laws. Once Title 42 is repealed, non-citizens will be treated in accordance with Title 8, which provides that persons crossing the border without legal permission are treated for removal and, if unable to establish a legal basis, remain in the United States immediately. are removed from the country, “Mallorca said, echoing the line of hearings both before the House of Representatives ‘subcommittee and the House of Representatives’ internal security committee.
The Biden administration on Tuesday gave a more detailed look at its response plan at the end of Title 42.
Part of this is largely logistical: increasing resources for housing, medical care and transport to the border, while increasing the number of staff who can both handle asylum seekers and start deporting those who have no legal basis to remain in the United States
Mallorca called the deportations one of the main pillars of the plan and said DHS would “hire our authorities to carry out these removals as soon as possible”.
But the plan also includes coordinating with states and non-profit organizations, targeting smuggling organizations and strengthening programs that seek to stop migration in Central America.
Both Democrats and the administration have raised concerns about the influx of border – even noting that Title 42 is directly contrary to the Asylum Act, which grants the right to be heard on such claims.
“Although this body is legally based on mitigating public health risks, it cannot be denied that it has also helped [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] manage the border by reducing the number of people in need of processing, “said Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-California), chair of the subcommittee on appropriations, where Mayorkas appeared.
“But this is not a legally sufficient reason to continue. And that would run counter to the legal rights of migrants in due process, “she added.
DHS said in March that it was preparing for three levels of potential spring migration, including that daily border crossings could peak at 18,000 a day, a record number.
“There is no doubt that if we meet 18,000 people in one day, which will seriously burden our capabilities. “I just need to be clear on that,” Majorcas said.
Republicans who have just visited the border say the repeal of Title 42 could damage border security and that people who have a legal right to seek refuge from injury will encourage more migration.
“If this instrument disappears, it has the potential to have a profound effect on border security operations,” spokesman Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) Told Title 42.
“We cannot manage the outcome of this crisis with more processing capacity or increase the ability of NGOs to address short-term humanitarian needs,” he said. “Many migrants encountered by our agents are notified to show up and send on their way to the interior of the United States to wait for a court date, often years in the future. It just encourages more people to come. ”
In their second appearance before the House Security Committee, Republicans asked fewer questions for the major, but several offered monologues about the secretary.
Representative Michael McCall (R-Texas), a former chairman of the commission, was emotional and choked as he told Majorca that it was difficult to convey his disappointment with his work after the two worked well together in the Obama administration.
“I must say, sir, with all due respect, I am disappointed,” McCall said.
Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) Spent 4 1/2 minutes trying to get Majorcas to say he had done a bad job of border management.
Representative Michael Guest (R-Miss.) Accused Mallorca of being a liar, complaining about border conditions and saying that during a recent trip there, border agents said they felt abandoned.
Following his line of questioning, committee chairman Benny Thompson (D-Miss.) Reminded members that “decency is the order of the day.”
“I’m not asking anyone questions,” he said, but calling Mallorca a liar was “wrong.”
Representative Eric Swwell (D-California) also defended Mallorca, accusing Republicans of politics and theater.
“Border policy is pretty easy, isn’t it?” You can indulge in grievances, scare Americans, demonize men and women who have left everything behind by wearing nothing, going to a place they don’t know, making them an enemy, really setting Americans on fire. It is really easy to demonize and arm this problem; it’s much harder to solve, “he said.
The hearing can only be a taste of what the Mayorkas may face tomorrow during a House of Representatives hearing, where senior member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) outlined a strategy for baking it.
In some cases, the majors seemed to miss opportunities to defend the administration or receive communication points.
A Republican-led lawsuit received a temporary restraining order, which appears to be blocking DHS from implementing its Title 42 border jump preparation plan. The full text of the order has not yet been published.
But when asked by Fleischmann whether the case of the Republican-led states would affect DHS – something experts expect could happen – Mallorca did not answer the question directly.
He also discussed a question from Roybal-Allard, who asked if he agreed with Title 42, talking about the CDC’s order instead of attacking politics.
But he also effectively dismissed claims by Representative Dan Bishop (RN.C.) that Americans could be “killed, raped and killed” by migrants entering the country.
Mallorca has called for an administrative directive to focus on the deportation of those who have committed serious crimes.
“We take a tougher stance on criminals who have entered the country illegally, and the data shows that we are more focused on threats to public safety, the real threat to public safety for the homeland than the previous administration, and we have actually removed the more aggravated ones.” criminals in a year than the previous administration, “he said.
He also cited data on those expelled across the border under the Trump program “Stay in Mexico” – noting that 1,500 people were killed, raped, tortured or were victims of other serious crimes after being returned .
Mallorca was also left to defend Biden’s decision to end other Trump policies, including halting the construction of the Trump border wall.
But Republicans wanted answers on how the administration would handle the remaining $ 2.5 billion spent on the wall, which has not yet been spent.
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DHS pointed out that part of the funds will be used to clean construction sites where the wall is only partially constructed and poses a safety hazard. They also plan to mitigate the environmental damage from construction. But it is not clear that these projects will drain all the funds.
“We are well aware of our responsibility to spend the money that has been allocated for the wall, and we are undertaking an analysis of how to do it most effectively, respecting the President’s commitment,” Mallorca said in response to a question from Kay Granger. Texas).
“We are committed to spending these funds in a way that increases safety and security.”
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