A staggering 242,418 encounters with migrants were reported by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the southern border during November. This number is unprecedented for the month and is one of the highest since the onset of the intensified border crisis.
Under President Joe Biden's leadership, the migrant situation at the southern border has continued to deteriorate, denoting a growing dilemma that his administration appears incapable of handling adequately. Regardless of efforts, the situation remains problematic for border personnel and immigration courts, wrestling with unusual numbers of migrant crossings and an extraordinary pile-up of court cases.
Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller's recent statements about needing more resources from Congress, as requested in the supplemental funding request, reflect the administration's failure to contain the crisis. While Miller lauded the efforts of CBP staff in handling increased drug seizures and managing holiday travel, these successes are outweighed by the worrisome escalation of migrant entries.
The response from the Border Patrol union starkly contrasts with the Biden administration's portrayal of the situation.
"While our agents are more than willing to sacrifice the holidays to protect fellow Americans, that’s not what they will be doing. They will be processing the illegal border crossers for release into the U.S. while large parts of the border will be left wide open to exploitation by organized crime. These will not be happy holidays for the hard-working men and women of the Border Patrol," Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told the press.
The litigation logjam in immigration courts, which has now surpassed three million cases, exacerbates the issue, reports the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at the Syracuse University.
There has been a stark increase from the 530,000 cases recorded at the end of President Barack Obama's tenure in 2016. The numbers had climbed to 1.6 million by the end of 2021 and advanced to two million in 2022. As of November of this year, the figure stands at 3.075 million, reflecting a significant deterioration in managing border affairs under President Biden.
Despite more immigration judges, the US system is struggling with the rising number of migrants. Critics claim Biden's policies, notably releasing many migrants with notices to appear, are deepening the crisis and show weak enforcement of immigration laws. Reports state that over 386,000 illegal immigrants have been released in the US since October, excluding those released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Republicans criticize the Biden administration for worsening the immigration crisis with permissive policies, and instead advocate for stricter asylum rules and limits on humanitarian parole. They believe the current policies encourage illegal immigration rather than deter it.
The present administration has responded by emphasizing the need for more funding and comprehensive immigration reform to address the broader crisis. The recent request of $1.4 billion for more immigration judges was met with skepticism regarding their immediate effect on border security and immigration management.