Trump fumes over new border policy
Crossings surge as Biden relaxes rules
The border crisis has sparked renewed criticism from former President Donald Trump and a promise from President Biden that he’ll travel south to see the migrant mess for himself.
Both spoke late Sunday after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declared “the border is closed.”
Trump, from his 45 Office email account, ripped Mayorkas for what he called a “pathetic, clueless performance” on Sunday morning news shows.
“Even someone of Mayorkas’ limited abilities should understand that if you provide Catchand-Release to the world’s illegal aliens then the whole world will come,” Trump said of the migration flood.
Trump also lashed out at Biden for what he called a gag order on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
“They must immediately complete the wall, which can be done in a matter of weeks — they should never have stopped it. They are causing death and human tragedy,” Trump said. He added the flow of migrants is allowing “drugs … human and sex trafficking” to mix in with the migrants “encouraging crimes against humanity.”
He added: “Our Country is being destroyed!”
Biden, according to a White House pool report, said when asked if he’s thinking of going to the border: “At some point I will, yes.”
When asked why isn’t the message to migrants to stay home resonating and can more be done, Biden responded: “A lot more. We’re in the process of doing it now, including making sure that we re-establish what existed before, which was they can stay in place and make their case from their home country.”
Mayorkas spoke on four Sunday talk shows as conditions at the
U.S.-Mexico border worsen.
Fox News reported Sunday that border agents in the key Rio Grande Valley Sector are processing and releasing migrants who claim asylum without issuing a Notice to Appear.
Mayorkas said he is trying to roll out “orderly systems” in Mexico and Central America to discourage would-be migrants from traveling to the U.S. border. That is similar in some ways to what the Trump administration did to stem the tide of illegal immigration during the pandemic. Biden quickly moved to undo some of Trump’s anti-immigration measures right after being elected. It was a rollback interpreted by some as a signal to travel to the United States.
“We have seen large numbers of migration in the past. We know how to address it. We have a plan. We are executing on our plan and we will succeed,” Mayorkas said.
But, he added, “it takes time” and is “especially challenging and difficult now” because of the Trump administration’s moves. “So we are rebuilding the system as we address the needs of vulnerable children who arrived at our borders.”
Congressional Republicans blame Biden for policies they say are encouraging a new wave of immigrants. Mayorkas, and many Democrats, says fault lies with Trump and his administration, which they argue left behind an inhumane and inadequate system to deal with influx.