Border Patrol union leader says Biden’s reported plan to keep migrants in Texas won’t help agents: ‘More rhetoric’
The head of the Border Patrol union told Fox News Digital on Saturday that a reported Biden administration plan to force migrants to remain in Texas while they are processed for their asylum hearings does nothing to secure the border or help agents will contribute.
“It will not help border security in any way because it means that catches and releases will continue to occur,” Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told Fox News Digital. He suggested the Biden administration was only considering the move in response to complaints from liberal mayors.
The Los Angeles Times reported this week that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering a policy to force some illegal migrant families to remain in Texas by tracking them with GPS monitoring devices, including ankle bracelets.
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A U.S. Border Patrol agent speaks with asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border near Tijuana, Mexico, in San Diego on May 8, 2023. (AP Photo / Denis Poroy)
The Times reported that the families were under investigation Asylum procedure to determine whether they could stay, and if not, they could be more easily deported due to their proximity to the border. The program would be an expansion of the Family Expedited Removal Program, which imposes curfews and monitors families who have traveled to major cities.
In response to the report, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement that the administration is “committed to expanding safe and orderly pathways for migrants to lawfully enter the United States, while imposing consequences for those who do not use those pathways.” .”
“Since May 2023, DHS has deported or returned over 200,000 individuals, including over 17,000 individual family members,” the spokesperson continued. “DHS is engaged in ongoing policy and operational discussions about how we can use our authorities to ensure a fair, humane and effective immigration process that efficiently deports those who do not have a lawful basis for being in the country.”
But the reported plan comes at a time when the administration is facing criticism from Democratic mayors and state officials in places like New York and California. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been one of the most vocal critics, saying the influx of about 110,000 migrants so far threatens to “destroy” the city.
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The Border Patrol union has criticized a number of the Biden administration’s border policies. (AP Photo / Denis Poroy)
That plan would theoretically limit migrant movements and also prevent Texas from busing migrants to those cities – the latter of which leaders say has exacerbated their problems. However, Judd said such a move “will in no way alleviate the problem” and opposed the enforcement that would be used in this situation.
“Ankle shackles have never been effective. They won’t be effective because we simply don’t have the manpower to prosecute someone once they’ve cut the ankle bracelet. This is stupid, it’s just another waste of taxpayer money,” Judd said.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERING PLAN TO FORCE MIGRANTS TO STAY IN TEXAS: REPORT
He also said it wouldn’t help agents because it wouldn’t reduce the number of migrants being released into the United States.
“Absolutely not, because they too are still being released,” he said. “You will be released to Texas and asked to remain in Texas. Well, we know that people who violate our laws will not obey our laws, if they have violated them at all.” . So what makes anyone think they’ll stay in Texas? And they won’t.”
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Judd said the reason for the reported political move was political purposes and not border security.
“They’re just doing this to appease Eric Adams and the mayor of Los Angeles. That’s the only reason they do this. This is just more rhetoric,” he said.
Judd’s is the latest criticism of the reported plan, which is also drawing criticism from immigration activists who say it is cruel and inhumane to migrants. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his administration may file lawsuits and send “even more buses” of migrants if the plan goes ahead.