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The House Oversight Committee is attempting to warn the Biden administration that “reckless” policies could cause a health crisis at the southern border, according to Fox News.
“The Biden administration’s policies limiting immigration enforcement and weakening border security, coupled with its proposal to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, are signaling to the world that our immigration laws can be violated with little, if any, consequence,” Ranking Member James Comer said.
“We are particularly concerned that the Biden administration’s actions could soon lead to a health crisis at the border, and surrounding communities, causing widespread COVID-19 infections and fatalities.”
Biden put a stop to the construction of the wall at the southern border and has proposed to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants.
“In addition to his reckless policies and executive actions, President Biden’s rhetoric relating to amnesty for millions of illegal aliens and gutting interior enforcement priorities is leading to a perfect storm on the southwest border,” the lawmakers write. “Without a radically different approach, a health, security, and humanitarian crisis is inevitable.”
Unaccompanied children will “soon overwhelm border facilities in the middle of a global pandemic, forcing CBP officials to resort to widespread catch and release of unlawfully present individuals and families into the interior of the country.”
“The increase in illegal immigration at the southern border presents a risk not only to Border Patrol agents apprehending migrants who illegally cross the border, but also to those communities into which those individuals will relocate — likely leading to widespread COVID-19 infection and fatalities.”
From Fox News:
The administration recently opened an overflow facility for migrant children in Texas as officers on the ground face an increase in migration across the border. Meanwhile Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been forced to release migrants into the U.S. interior — reviving the “catch and release” policy President Donald Trump sought to end.
CBP said three factors led to the decision to release illegal immigrant families: an increase of migrant traffic, specifically families from Central America and unaccompanied children; Mexico’s refusal to accept additional families with children under age 12 in areas where migrants camps grow increasingly large, overwhelming the shelter and services; and COVID-19, which has severely reduced Border Patrol detention and transport capacity.
