When the press release from the Department of Homeland Security landed at 5:13 p.m. Friday, it appeared to report good news about the border.
“DHS Statement on Expedited Removal Flights for Certain Families,” it read, leading to cheering headlines about the department resuming “fast track” removals of illegal immigrants.
But immigration hawks sniffed the headline bait and are calling it a bluff.
Mayorkas exploits media unfamiliarity w/immigration law. Since Biden exempts almost all illegal families from Title 42 expulsion they fall under Title 8 pre-covid rubric. However, Biden terminated the T8 removal tools (Safe 3rd/MPP/Flores fix, asylum bars) thus catch&release. 2/7
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) August 1, 2021
“This is all talk until we see some numbers. It’s very carefully worded,” said Jessica Vaughan, the director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies.
“They know they have to look like they’re doing something, anything, to address what is clearly a policy, humanitarian, fiscal, and security disaster. Their bungling of border policy is clearly endangering their entire agenda, and this is just a token step that will not help them dig their way out of this,” she told Secrets.
The “fast-track” family removal process 45 pioneered only works if asylum loopholes are shut. But Biden opened them to fit innumerable millions. What does this mean? Any illegal family that merely requests asylum (or claims “fear”) stays in US. It’s biggest loophole on earth. 3/7
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) August 1, 2021
Former Trump immigration czar Stephen Miller was a bit blunter.
In a tweet, he wrote, “Dear media: please don’t be so credulous. This ‘fast-track’ story is another misdirection from pathological liar @SecMayorkas (who claimed ‘the border is closed.’) The vast, overwhelming % of illegal families are being resettled inside US — including countless w/COVID.”
Over a series of tweets in that thread, Miller poked holes in the statement and showed how the administration is actually fast-tracking the release of illegal immigrants into the United States, many with COVID-19. He also said that the department was hoping to slip a story by media unfamiliar with the technical aspects of immigration law.
Asked his goal, he told Secrets, “Just needed to correct the record. Lots of deeply misleading headlines.”
Every move Mayorkas makes is calculated to resettle, not return, illegal families. Hence, only 73 family aliens were removed out of daily 2K+ apprehended (from dozens of nations)! Just 1 sector enrolled. It’s a publicity stunt to mask endemic catch & release. Media was duped. 5/7
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) August 1, 2021
In simple language, he provided details of how the system is working now to keep illegal immigrants in the U.S.
For example, he wrote, “The ‘fast-track’ family removal process 45 [former President Trump] pioneered only works if asylum loopholes are shut. But Biden opened them to fit innumerable millions. What does this mean? Any illegal family that merely requests asylum (or claims ‘fear’) stays in US. It’s biggest loophole on earth.”
He added, “Every move Mayorkas makes is calculated to resettle, not return, illegal families. Hence, only 73 family aliens were removed out of daily 2K+ apprehended (from dozens of nations)! Just 1 sector enrolled. It’s a publicity stunt to mask endemic catch & release. Media was duped.”
