Ted Cruz today slammed President Joe Biden for the “humanitarian crisis” on the southern border, urging him to “stop hiding in the basement” and watch as tens of thousands of migrants crowd there en route to US soil.
In a scathing speech, a visibly angry Cruz blamed Biden for the more than 22,000 illegal migrants camped across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, saying it was “his fault.”
The Texas senator waved his finger at the camera as he said the US had the “worst illegal immigration in our country’s history” and it’s going to get worse as the 42 title expired due to Biden’s policies.
The Republican said, “I’m standing here on our southern border with the Rio Grande right behind me in Brownsville, Texas.” Title 42 expires in a few hours.
“We are experiencing an invasion on our southern border and there are currently over 22,000 illegal immigrants across the river.”
Ted Cruz today slammed President Joe Biden for the “humanitarian crisis” on the southern border, urging him to “stop hiding in the basement” and watch as tens of thousands of migrants crowd there en route to US soil
A baby is passed between people as migrants reach the Rio Grande in Matamoros, Mexico, May 11 to enter the United States
Migrants cross the Rio Grande on their way to the United States, seen May 11 from Matamoros in Tamaulipas state, Mexico
Pointing behind him, Cruz continued, “You can see the lights, you can see people camping outside, if you look you can see them.” They’re waiting for Title 42 to expire, and then the invasion, that we will experience, be massive.
“We already have the worst illegal immigration in our country’s history and it’s only going to get worse in just a few hours.” “Joe Biden, this is your fault.”
In his scathing tirade, Cruz also said it was Biden’s “fault” if any of the children illegally crossing the river to the US were injured or if any of the migrants were killed attempting to cross the river.
“The people who are killed crossing the border illegally are your fault.” The women who are sexually abused crossing the border illegally are your fault. “The children who are abused on the illegal crossing are your fault.”
Cruz added, “Come here, President Biden.” Stop hiding in the basement, stop pretending this misery isn’t your fault. Stop. That’s not human, that’s not compassionate, that’s cruel.”
For more than three years, Title 42 had allowed the government to quickly expel millions of migrants who crossed the border illegally during the pandemic before they could apply for asylum.
But now that Biden’s administration is lifting Covid-19 protocols, it’s also lifting the rule that restricted migration – a move that has seen tens of thousands of migrants congregate at the southern border in what many are calling a ‘disaster’ have designated.
Tens of thousands of migrants, including young children and even babies, are expected to attempt to cross into the United States in the coming days.
Minutes after Title 42 border control measures were lifted Thursday night, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned migrants along the US-Mexico border not to believe the “lies” of traffickers who claim the border is now open.
“We have 24,000 border guards and officers on the southwest border and have augmented thousands of troops and contractors and over a thousand asylum officers to help enforce our laws,” he said.
“Don’t believe the smugglers’ lies.” “The border is not open.”
Migrants cross the banks of the Rio Grande into the United States, seen from Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulupas May 9, 2023
Migrants attempt to cross the Rio Grande to the United States, seen from Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, Mexico, May 11, 2023
At night, migrants wait along the border wall to surrender to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) border patrol officers for immigration and asylum processing before Title 42 expires after crossing the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez into the United States – Mexican border in El Paso, Texas on May 11th
TOPSHOT – Migrants attempt to cross the Rio Grande to the United States, seen from Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, Mexico, May 11
TOPSHOT – Migrant families attempt to cross the Rio Grande to the United States from Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, Mexico, May 11
Biden has been heavily criticized for the scenes at the border as thousands of migrants gathered hoping to enter the US after restrictions ended.
Mayorkas and the Biden administration have been heavily criticized for the scenes at the border as thousands of migrants gathered hoping to enter the US after restrictions were lifted.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said smugglers were gathering in large numbers at his country’s southern border, offering to take migrants to the United States and telling them the border would be open from Thursday.
But Mayorkas on Thursday tried to tell those who wanted to cross that it was a bad move. He said illegal migrants now face a five-year travel ban to the US and possible criminal prosecution.
“As of tonight, people who arrive at the border without a legal route will not be considered eligible for asylum,” he tweeted.
“We stand ready to humanely convict and deport people who have no legal basis to remain in the United States.”
“People who fail to use available legal avenues to enter the United States now face harsher consequences, including a minimum five-year re-entry ban and possible criminal prosecution.”
“Together with our partners across the federal government and the western hemisphere, we are prepared for this transition.”
But Republicans have criticized Biden’s administration for what they call an “invasion.”
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall told Fox News the border situation was a “disaster.”
“The greatest threat to our national security is right here in southern Texas as far south as Arizona,” he said. “This is not the America I grew up in.”
Members of the US National Guard clash with migrants who have crossed the Rio Grande from Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on May 10
On May 11, migrants attempt to enter the United States via the Rio Grande in Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, Mexico
Migrants cross the Rio Grande en route from Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas to the United States on May 11
Customs and Border Protection officials exit the country after guarding the port of entry from the Mexico side of the San Ysidro port of entry on the US-Mexico route in Tijuana, in the Mexican state of Baja California on May 11
Democratic Congressman Mike Levin of California accused Republicans of playing “political football” with the country’s broken immigration system.
They’re more interested in “scoring points than actually working to fix the problem,” he said.
Chaotic scenes erupted on Thursday as migrants attempted to enter the country before Title 42 expired and the new rule took effect
Thousands of migrants have waded through rivers, scaled walls and climbed embankments onto US soil in recent days, hoping to be cleared before midnight.
Some migrants turned themselves in to border officials. Others attempted to cross undetected.
In Brownsville, where Cruz has been watching crowds of migrants across the river, dozens of police cars were on duty on the US side of the bridge that connects the city to its Mexican neighbor Matamoros.
Groups of migrants crossed the Rio Grande in chin-high water earlier Thursday. Some carried small babies and bags full of belongings overhead to get to Brownsville.
A little further away, heavy earthmoving equipment could be seen, and personnel were preparing the ground for barbed wire to be laid.
In El Paso, hundreds of people who entered the country through a legitimate border crossing on Thursday were processed and given an opportunity to file their first asylum application.
Many others were held back by Texas National Guardsmen who prevented them from crossing the border.
And among the rank and file border guards, there seemed to be confusion as to what exactly is going to happen in the hours and days to come.
“We don’t know,” said one when asked how they would deal with migrants who made it.
Migrants await asylum hearings at the US-Mexico border on May 11, 2023, seen from San Ysidro, California
Asylum-seeking immigrants detained at the time of Title 42 expiration are being processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after entering Arizona from Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, on May 11
A migrant with a child tries to cross the Rio Grande to the United States as seen from Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on May 11
Other migrants — including families with young children wrapped in Mylar blankets — waited to be processed while trapped between two towering border walls in San Diego, California, across from Tijuana, Mexico.
In Ciudad Juarez, Agustin Sortomi said he, his wife and two children had tried several times to turn themselves in to US authorities but were turned away.
“A lot of people are already coming from there and saying that they have closed the doors and are not letting anyone through.” “I don’t know what to do,” he said.
‘We haven’t achieved our dream.’ Only God knows when we will.’
Trump first implemented Title 42 in March 2020 as COVID swept the world. Health officials said at the time the order was aimed at curbing the spread of the virus in overcrowded prisons. It allowed US authorities to quickly deport migrants to Mexico or other countries without the ability to seek asylum in the US.
But Democrats, health experts and immigration advocates saw it as an extension of Trump’s drive to block migrants at the border.
Biden, campaigning to reverse Trump’s policies, retained and eventually expanded Title 42.
More than 2.7 million migrants have been expelled under Title 42, although the total includes many repeat offenders.
Mexico has generally accepted only certain nationalities – its own nationals, many Central Americans and, more recently, migrants from Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. During the same period, some 2.8 million ineligible migrants were allowed into the United States under a process known as Title 8 to pursue their immigration claims in court, which can take months or years.
Even before the expiration of Title 42 and the end of the COVID public health emergency, Biden’s administration was grappling with record numbers of migrants at the US-Mexico border, straining US agencies and border cities.
Republicans accuse Biden of relaxing more restrictive Trump policies. Biden has blamed Congress for failing to pass sweeping immigration reform.
But with the new asylum rule, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other Biden officials have tried to spread the message that illegal border workers face consequences by sending troops and thousands of additional personnel to the drill.
“Don’t believe the lies of the smugglers. The border is not open,” Mayorkas said in a statement.
Some migrants speaking to Portal on Thursday said they had heard it would be more difficult to enter the country after May 11 and rushed to the border before the deadline. Daily arrests rose to over 10,000 this week and detention capacity was being stretched.
Due to the high number of arrivals, officials on Wednesday began releasing some migrants without notice to the immigration court, where they can apply for asylum, and urging them to report to an immigration agency later.
But late Thursday night, a Florida federal judge blocked such releases on the grounds that they failed to follow proper governmental procedures.
US Customs and Border Protection called the ruling “harmful” and said it would “result in unsafe overcrowding” at border facilities.