The Quote Below—More Misinformation from the Media
“The myths — or, rather, convenient lies — that some politicians keep circulating about the U.S.-Mexico border have resulted in another disappointing congressional session for immigration reform. . . .
“Myth: Title 42 helps the government control the border
“It has been hard to miss the images of hundreds of migrants waiting along the Rio Grande in Texas in recent weeks, hoping to request asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border if the courts lift Title 42 border restrictions. . . .
“But Title 42 has not helped control the border and, in fact, has made the situation worse. It encourages repeated migrant crossings, because those expelled simply try to cross again. It also promotes criminal activity by human traffickers because migrants attempt to cross by hiring smugglers instead of presenting themselves to border authorities.
“The real solution is to create an orderly, humane way of processing claims for asylum by expanding border authorities’ capacity and funding, including adding immigration judges.
“Myth: The border is wide open.
“The U.S. government is hardly putting out welcome mats for migrants at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection employs about 26,000 Border Patrol agents and uses technology such as drones, thermal imaging devices and sensors that detect heat and motion to secure the approximately 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. . . .
“Border security has been a high-budget priority for legislators for years. The budget for the border agency has soared from $363 million in 1993 to $16.7 billion appropriated in the latest omnibus bill, which also included $800 million for local governments, such as the city of El Paso, to deal with migrant arrivals.
“Fact: There is a crisis at the border.
“Yes, there is a crisis at the border. But it’s a humanitarian crisis, not an ‘invasion,’ as some conservative politicians call the arrival of hundreds of migrants. A combination of factors, including civil strife, climate change and political instability — some caused by U.S. policies — has forced many people around the world to leave their homes in search of employment and safety.
“The number of migrants on the move internationally has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The number of apprehensions by Border Patrol agents continues to reach new highs, according to figures released by the border agency on Friday. . . . —Two Misconceptions and a Truth about the U.S.-Mexico Border, The Times Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times, 12/28/22 [Link]
Fact Check of Above Quote: This editorial claims it’s a “myth” that Title 42 aids border control, but in the next In the next sentence it refers to migrants waiting to enter the U.S. if “the courts lift Title 42 border restrictions.” Just why would they be waiting for Title 42 to expire if it does nothing to deter them?
Even some members of the Biden Administration officials have conceded that repeal of Title 42 will promote a new surge of illegal immigration. Tom Homan, the former acting ICE director under President Trump affirmed that ending this provision will “cause chaos across the border.” Repeated migrant crossings, according to U.S. Customs Border Protection, “somewhat overstate” the size of the current surge of illegal immigration”—which means that it is still a powerful surge.
If Title 42 didn’t deter illegal immigration, the Biden Administration wouldn’t be trying to get rid of it. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated, with respect to “irregular migration,” that his goal is to build “safe, orderly, humane, and lawful pathways for migration.” Notice that he calls it “irregular” instead of illegal, and notice he says nothing about trying to stop this flow.
It is no myth at all that we do have a “wide-open border,” as evidenced by what this editorial admits is a level of illegal border crossings which “continues to reach new highs.” Citing the large expenditures on border control is no proof that those expenditures are effective. Expenditures are irrelevant with an administration doing everything in its power to sabotage effective enforcement of immigration laws.
As one example, only fifty percent of Border Patrol agents are involved in enforcement. The other half work at desks to make sure that the unimpeded flow of illegal aliens stays “safe and orderly.” Not surprisingly, the morale of agents is at rock bottom. Similarly, the Administration has hamstrung ICE, the agency that conducts interior enforcement.
Yes, there is a crisis at the border, but it is far more of an invasion than a humanitarian issue. Drug cartels significantly promote this invasion while profiting from it. The cartels are quasi governments with powerful armed forces, and their cross-border activities harm many Americans. The “civil strife, climate change and political instability” this editorial cites, along with unemployment, are not legal grounds for granting asylum to migrants. It is not humanitarian to think that America can be the haven for all the poverty and misery of the entire planet. Believing so is a myth—a myth based on moral posturing which may destroy us.