Washington (AFP) – In six months, the United States deported more than 380,000 migrants who entered the country “illegally or without authorization,” a “record number,” a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official reported this Friday.
First change: November 18, 2023 – 2:16 p.m
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In May, Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration repealed a public health rule that allowed nearly all migrants who arrived without the required immigration documents to be blocked at the border.
To counter the suspension, “legal pathways” have been introduced that force migrants to make an appointment through a mobile phone application (CBP One) or complete procedures in the countries they transit, for example by availing humanitarian and reunification permits take. trusted.
Those attempting to enter the country via these routes may be subject to expedited returns.
According to DHS, authorities have expelled or sent back more than 380,000 people in the past six months, including more than 60,000 family members.
“This represents a record in the period we are talking about,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Undersecretary for Border and Immigration Policy Blas Núñez-Neto in a press conference this Friday.
The displacement flights were destined for Ecuador, India, Peru, Venezuela and Central America.
U.S. authorities say they are subjecting migrants to so-called “credible fear interviews” to assess whether there is a chance they will be persecuted or tortured if they return to their country and whether those placed in deportation proceedings are eligible for protection can file in immigration courts.
Biden, a candidate for re-election in the 2024 presidential election, is in the crosshairs of criticism from Republicans who blame him for a migration crisis on the border with Mexico and the massive influx of migrants into the country.
© 2023 AFP