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(CNN) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mallorcas said Sunday that it was “too early” to know if the surge in immigration at the U.S. southern border has peaked since Title 42 expired last week.
“The numbers we’ve seen in the last few days are significantly lower than they were before the end of Title 42,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash in the “State of the Union.”
Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic public health policy that allowed officials to quickly turn migrants back at the U.S.-Mexico border, expired Thursday.
Mayorcas said on Sunday that U.S. border officials had “50 percent fewer encounters” with migrants along the U.S. southern border than earlier in the week when encounters were about 10,000 people a day. .
He told CNN that officials reported about 6,300 border encounters on Friday and about 4,200 on Saturday.
Mayorcas attributed the low numbers over the past two days to the Biden administration’s clear message to immigrants that bypassing legal asylum routes has serious consequences.
“We have sent a very clear message of vital importance to those contemplating arriving at the southern border,” he said. “There is a legal, safe and orderly way for President Biden to get to the United States through a route that has expanded in unprecedented ways. is deported.” Deportation from the United States, a five-year re-entry ban, and possible criminal prosecution. ”
Mr. Biden said late Sunday that fears over the border had been “reduced.”
“Hopefully the temperature doesn’t go down like this,” he told reporters in a brief remark after cycling in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. “We need more support from Congress in terms of funding and legislative change.”
Asked if he planned to visit the border, the president said: “Not in the near future. It will only cause confusion.”
In an interview with Bash, Mayorkas pushed back against criticism from both sides that the Biden administration was not ready for the end of Title 42.
“I respectfully disagree,” he said, defending the administration’s evolving asylum system, which has been questioned by liberals over its fairness to would-be immigrants.
CNN previously reported that with the lifting of Title 42, the administration would mark a departure from the decades-old pact, almost banning immigrants who transit other countries on their way to the U.S.-Mexico border from seeking asylum in the United States. .
The rule, proposed earlier this year, assumes migrants are not eligible for asylum in the United States if they do not first seek refuge in a transit country such as Mexico on their way to the border. Officials say migrants who secure reservations through the CBP One app will be exempt.
Majorcas sees tougher asylum rules as a way to “kick out” smugglers profiting from human tragedy, which is “not only a security imperative, but also a humanitarian responsibility.” said.
“We have a duty to deliver results at the border and not only control the border but also to get rid of smugglers,” he said.
Mayorkas also spoke to Kevin about what compromises Republicans and the administration could reach on immigration after the Republican-controlled House narrowly passed a draconian border security bill last week. He also said he had not spoken to House Speaker McCarthy.
The bill, which is unlikely to be considered by the Democratic-led Senate, includes provisions to increase funding for border agents, impose new restrictions on asylum seekers and strengthen electronic authentication requirements. is
After the bill passed, White House press secretary Carine Jean-Pierre accused House Republicans of playing “political play” while calling Congress to “fix the broken immigration system that the administration inherited.” I asked him to approve his proposal.
House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green appeared Sunday on another show, “State of the Union,” saying the Republican bill was “not aimed at solving the immigration problem” and “protecting the border.” said that it is.
“We need to secure the border so we can deal with immigration. If the border isn’t secure, we can’t create more incentives to come here,” said a Tennessee Republican.
With some Republican lawmakers calling for Mayorcas to be removed from office, Mr. Green said his committee did not have the authority to impeach him, but told CNN that “the current administration and Mr. “We will look very carefully at failures,” he said, adding that preparations are underway. “Five-Step Accountability Plan”.
“It would be a dereliction of duty to investigate this man’s performance and not show the American public how he failed,” he said.
Asked about such criticism on Sunday, Mayorcas insisted he was “focused on the task at hand”.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Nikki Carvajal contributed to this report.
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