Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently placed the blame on Congress for persistent unlawful migration and cartel trafficking crisis on the U.S. border with Mexico.
Mayorkas also claimed that the Biden administration has done everything within its power to combat unlawful migration.
Mayorkas’ claims were made on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, coming only weeks after a heated testimony appearance in Congress where House Republicans began to build a case for his impeachment.
Mayorkas said that the Biden administration delivered a plan to Congress but that Congress refused to act on it.
“The president, on day one, delivered a solution. He delivered immigration reform legislation that we had hoped Congress would act on swiftly. They haven’t. Within the constraints of a broken immigration system we are doing so much,” Mayorkas claimed.
Mayorkas outlined a law enforcement approach that he claimed facilitated lawful pathways for citizenship.
“Our approach is to build lawful pathways — cut out the ruthless smugglers — deliver the lawful pathway so people can access humanitarian relief without having to take the dangerous journey from their home countries. And at the same time, if they arrive at our southern border in between ports of entry, we will deliver consequences,” Mayorkas said.
Mayorkas also said that the Biden administration is the first administration since 2011, when Mayorkas served as the director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services under President Obama, to increase the number of Border Patrol agents.
“This is the first administration since 2011 that has plussed up the Border Patrol with more agents. Our request of Congress for fiscal year 2024 is another 350 Border Patrol agents, and that hasn’t happened for over twelve years,” Mayorkas said.
The National Border Patrol Council, a large union representing Border Patrol agents, reacted strongly to the secretary’s comments.
“When will this clown Mayorkas be held accountable for his non-stop lies, his utter failure to do the job he is sworn to do and the billions in damage his lawless border has inflicted on the American people?” the Council tweeted.
Mayorkas added on “Meet the Press” that larger immigration trends also contribute to the crisis.
“We are seeing a level of immigration, not just the southern border, but throughout the hemisphere that is unprecedented. It is the greatest migration in our hemisphere since World War II,” Mayorkas noted.