The Mexico border wall is back in the news. The authorities say apprehensions at the southern border in July are at a 20-year high. It goes beyond one million. This is as per the initial estimates. It seems the apprehensions at the border have risen drastically from 81,000 in July 2019 to 188,829 in June 2021. There is also an increase in the number of children traveling alone. Instances of families trying to cross the border in July also increased. These are what an official of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disclosed to the media. A large number of them make use of natural openings like water bodies and mountainous terrains.
They view the other side of the border as a land of opportunities.
Daily Mail UK says the figures for July, once confirmed, could fuel arguments from the Republicans against the Democratic Party. It will be on the subject of rollback of restrictions imposed by the Trump administration. Soon after taking over, President Joe Biden hit the “pause” button to halt work on the Mexico border wall.
Migrants at the Mexican border
There is no letup in the arrival of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. A Trump-era official of DHS says: “It signifies Biden administration strategy simply not working.” In May, Romanians seeking asylum had swamped the border in south Texas. The Biden administration took certain measures to check the flow.
One of these was to put an end to the Migrant Protection Protocols MPP. Under this, the asylum seekers had to remain in Mexico and wait for their asylum hearing. Another action was to end the construction of the border wall. Daily Mail UK adds that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) extended an order meant to restrict entry for migrants.
The reason cited was coronavirus. It was necessary because of the highly contagious nature of the disease, especially where crowds are involved.
It isn't easy to reduce border crossings
In the opinion of Wolf, a Trump-era official of DHS, migrants have modified their strategy. They do not attempt to evade the DHS but wait to be arrested.
Once that happens, the authorities must ensure that the case is processed within a specified time frame. They will have to be taken to a charity and “sent along their way.” Daily Mail UK adds that the Biden administration insists its policies are not responsible for the surge of migrants at the border. It has links to various other issues like poverty, violence, and climate change in Central America. The border wall envisaged by former President Donald Trump was supposed to be a means to check smugglers. He wanted to make America safe and prevent illegal immigrants and other elements that could harm the country. However, the smugglers circumvented the problem. They cut through some portions of the wall to carry on their activities.
Increase of migrant children in Border Patrol facilities
According to Reuters, there is a constant rise in migrant children in Border Patrol facilities. This influx is a matter of concern for President Joe Biden. On August 1, the number of unaccompanied children in the custody of CBP was twice the number of last months. A spokesperson clarified that children from Mexico were sent back to their country of origin. Those from Central America were sent to U.S. federal shelters. The situation is stretching the resources to the limit. Children who travel on their own remain in CBP custody before being released to sponsors, often parents or other family members. Incidentally, hundreds of migrants, mostly from Central America, arrived on rafts. They included young children and kids. After crossing the Rio Grande River, they turned themselves in. The majority of them had no belongings and came from countries that face political unrest.
