Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has refuted claims that President Biden's immigration policy is akin to that of former President Trump. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently filed a lawsuit against the White House for enacting policies some view as detrimental to migrants.
Mayorkas stated that individuals who have not attempted to seek relief in other countries would need a "higher threshold of proof" to qualify for asylum, while denying any similarities between the two administrations' border policies. Following the end of Title 42, migrant encounters at the border dropped by 50 percent. Last week, the ACLU argued in their lawsuit that this rule violated U.S. asylum laws.
In response to criticism from both Republicans and Democrats regarding the alleged failure on border crisis management by the Biden Administration, Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas explained that they have been planning and adding resources for months. This includes hiring more asylum officers, Border Patrol agents, processing coordinators for data entry work so Border Patrol Agents can remain in their fieldwork positions.
He also mentioned expanding holding capacity at Border Patrol stations and increasing transportation resources available after Title 42 ended. Arizona's Yuma and Tucson sectors are currently experiencing overcapacity levels at 219% and 269%, respectively.
The ACLU has accused current asylum rules under Biden's administration as being strict compared with those enforced during Trump's tenure when migrants were required first to apply for asylum in countries they passed through before reaching America.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dismissed these accusations on Sunday as "absolutely incorrect." He criticized new border policies set forth which consider migrants ineligible for seeking U.S. asylum if they do not qualify for entry into America – resulting not only in deportation but also imposing re-entry bans lasting five years or more.
Despite technical glitches encountered with an app overhaul meant to streamline the asylum-seeking process, migrants continue experiencing frustration while attempting to make appointments. The mayor of Laredo, a border city in Texas, stated that overflow from El Paso and Brownsville areas has strained preparations made in anticipation of Title 42's expiration.
The ongoing lawsuit filed by the ACLU highlights concerns over immigration restrictions they deem "inhumane" and "dangerous" for asylum seekers. Secretary Mayorkas' denial of parallels between Biden's and Trump's policies suggests that debate around this issue is far from over.