(Washington) The number of 12,400 mostly Haitian immigrants recently released in the United States after crossing the Mexican border may increase in the coming days, with about 5,000 others currently in detention after their illegal passage, the US Secretary of Homeland Security admitted Sunday.
This number could be higher […] ”, confirmed Alejandro Mallorcas on Fox News, in response to a question about the possible development of the 12,400 migrants who in recent days have been able to leave temporary camps on the US-Mexico border and who will have to appear before an immigration judge to defend their asylum claim.
The minister spoke on several major US channels, which are responsible for defusing the crisis currently plaguing the government of Joe Biden, who is accused of inaction and imposing “inhumane” expulsions to Haiti.
Mr. Mayorcas emphasized that these 12,400 immigrants, the vast majority of whom are Haitians, had been released in the US “conditionally”, explaining that his services follow the legislation in force to determine whether or not to expel immigrants who cross the border. Illegally.
In addition to this number, about 2,000 people were deported by air to Haiti, 8,000 people voluntarily returned to Mexico, and 5,000 were transferred to shelters.
According to Alejandro Mallorcas, it is these 5,000 migrants currently in administrative detention who can in the coming days increase their number to 12,400.
In another interview broadcast by NBC on Sunday, the minister also denounced the rules in place regarding immigration to the United States.
Photo by Julio Cortez, archive press
“We are working in a completely broken system […]. I’ve never heard anyone say immigration laws are well regulated.
Earlier in the week, the minister explained that a total of 30,000 immigrants, mostly Haitians, have arrived since September 9 in the small Texas border town of Del Rio, where they were living in heat and in unsanitary conditions after crossing the Rio River. Grande from Ciudad Acuña.
This massive influx of immigrants and the treatment suffered by some, which border police officers were driven on horseback as they crossed the river, drew criticism from the Biden administration.
All the Haitian migrants who gathered on both sides of the US-Mexico border, left their makeshift camps Friday night, according to the US government and AFP journalists immediately.
But new candidates in the process may arrive in the coming days and weeks. Nearly 500 Haitian immigrants camped Saturday on Colombia’s northern border, preparing to begin on foot crossing the Darien Forest, the Panama border, and a perilous part of their long journey to the United States through Central America.