OPINION:
It’s been 56 days since Vice President Kamala Harris was tapped to manage the southern border crisis, and within that time, she has yet to hold a single news conference or even visit the region.
Meanwhile, the crisis rages on, and statistics released last week — after hours and with no notice to the media — reveal it’s actually getting worse.
April border crossings remain at their highest level in two decades, a nearly 270% increase from the average number of April apprehensions during the Trump administration. Of the more than 178,000 migrants taken into custody last month, 17,171 were unaccompanied minors, the second-highest one-month total in the Border Patrol’s 96-year history.
The Biden administration continues to perpetuate the lie that the “vast majority of the families” crossing the southern border are turned away. April’s statistics show only 35% were expelled last month, meaning the “vast majority” of families are allowed to enter the U.S. interior without concern.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed.
ICE deportations have fallen to the lowest level on record, as the Biden administration hamstrings the agency. Although it hasn’t yet abolished ICE, it’s doing its best to eliminate officers’ effectiveness by allowing them only to deport border crossers who are terrorists or are a criminal offender with an aggravated felony conviction.
According to estimates from border officials, more than 1,500 illegal immigrants are crossing into the U.S. every day, a 50% increase from the estimated 1,000 per day last month. Border agents are “stretched so thin,” Texas sheriff’s deputies must “do the job of the federal government.”
Biden administration officials continue to play a shell game, touting they’ve reduced overcrowding at detention facilities as a measure of their success. In reality, they’ve only relocated those in government custody from one government facility to another, as the number of migrant children being held by the U.S. government has more than doubled in the past two months.
The crisis is growing so fast, the Biden administration estimates it will need another $4 billion in taxpayer dollars before the end of the fiscal year just for migrant care.
Mr. Harris’ team understands this is a political hot potato, and they don’t want her anywhere near it. They insist it’s her job to negotiate with Northern Triangle countries to determine the root of the problem and solve it.
There doesn’t seem to be much progress on this end, either.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration, aided by its allies in the press, is doing everything it can to simply ignore the situation.
In Monday’s press briefing, the topic wasn’t even discussed — except for in passing comments where White House press secretary Jen Psaki spoke about abortion rights.
“The president and the vice president are devoted to ensuring that every American has access to health care, including reproductive health care, regardless of their income, ZIP code, race, health insurance status or immigration status,” she said.
So, come to America. We’ll make sure everyone crossing can get free health care, including abortions, free higher education, free flights and boarding, and then we’ll give you a pandemic stimulus check for your efforts.
It’s no wonder why some of the illegal border crossers have been spotted wearing Biden-logoed T-shirts.
Ms. Harris, nor anyone within the Biden administration, has any intention of solving the immigration crisis. Biden administration officials are intentionally inviting it, with their open border policies, hoping the media and American public will be distracted with the promise of “infrastructure” to notice the damage being done.
So far, it seems to be working.
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