A new podcast released by the Center for Immigration Studies explores four primary methods by which unlawful migrants enter the United States.
Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), has detailed the various courses followed, starting with the CHNV Parole Program.
The CHNV Parole Program began in January when the Biden administration announced that 30,000 nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela would be lawfully allowed to enter the U.S. monthly.
Since then, approximately 250,000 foreign nationals have been granted parole in the U.S. under this program.
The second method discussed in the podcast is through the Customs and Border Protection One App, which allows foreign nationals to set up an appointment and interview for unlawful entry.
In contrast to the CHNV Parole Program, these appointments are not limited to foreign nationals from four countries.
Arthur stated in the podcast that CIS has determined that there have been 235,172 unlawful migrants paroled into the country after scheduling an appointment on this app.
The next pathway listed was unlawful migrants presenting themselves at the ports of entry. Foreign nationals paroled in at the borders make up nearly 1 million of the people being released into the U.S., Arthur said.
“In FY2023, 908,788 illegal entrants who were apprehended by border patrol at the southwest border were released into the United States,” the immigration expert said in the podcast.
This claim follows news that 269,735 encounters were reported in September, a record number, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Finally, Arthur enumerated the fourth pathway – crossing the border without being encountered and apprehended. Unlawful migrants who enter this way are referred to as “gotaways,” foreign nationals who were not permitted entry by Border Patrol but are known to be in the country.
Arthur cited a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who said there had been more than 600,000 gotaways in FY2023.
This podcast comes just days before the Committee on Homeland Security released a report stating that the ongoing unlawful migrant costs the U.S. $451 billion each year.
The financial burden calculated in this statement relates to the housing and care given to unlawful migrants once they enter the country.
Similarly, the report cites calculations from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which found that unlawful immigration results in an estimated $182 billion of economic burden at the federal, state, and local levels.
The federal government is responsible for roughly $66 billion of this required taxpayer funding, while the state government is responsible for more than $115 billion, according to the report.
The impact of this crisis has prompted five mayors from some of the largest cities in the U.S. to request aid in a letter sent to President Biden, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Mayors from Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York City signed the letter listing steps that the government can take to help support local entities dealing with the inflow of unlawful migrants.
While leaders of border cities call on the government to do more to prevent unlawful migrants from entering or remaining in the country, the Department of Homeland Security has made it easier for these foreign nationals to obtain work authorization.
On September 20, DHS announced that roughly 500,000 Venezuelans would be eligible to apply for work authorization, regardless of whether they are in the U.S. lawfully or unlawfully.
This expansion was introduced as a way to reduce the financial strain felt by cities by allowing lawful and unlawful migrants to work for a wage and potentially pay for housing.
Additionally, in a press release, DHS stated that it has continued to facilitate removal flights for those without a lawful reason to be in the U.S.
The press release states that there have been more than 336,000 unlawful migrants flown back to their home countries since May 2023.
