The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, openly concerned about a second year surge of illegal immigrants into the United States, is advertising warnings in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico that America’s doors are closed.
In four 30-second TV commercials titled “Know the Facts,” the agency is telling those hopeful of getting a free pass into the United States that entry isn’t allowed without proper papers.
“The announcements specified that ‘no permits for people trying to cross the border without documents’ and therefore not eligible under the immigration guidelines announced by President Barack Obama,” said the agency in a Spanish language release.
It added, “Although with different cultural nuances for each country, all ads conclude with the phrase: ‘If someone says or promises something different, please, do not believe him. Protect yourself!'”
Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske said the goal is to warn immigrants to not trust so-called “coyotes,” and other traffickers that “have no respect for human life.”
The reason for the ads is last year’s surge that saw an additional 68,000 mostly single youths and young adults cross into the United States where most remain.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is putting all its efforts to prevent a new wave of undocumented immigrants as the previous fiscal year (between October 2013 and September 2014), when 68,641 unaccompanied minors, mostly from El Salvador , Honduras and Guatemala, crossed the border,” said the release first reported on by the Center for Immigration Studies.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
