Why Mexico must act
America’s border crisis reached another milestone today—and not an encouraging one. A few hours ago, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its apprehension figures for last month. There’s only one way to describe the new report.
“Just stunning,” in the words of The Washington Post’s immigration enforcement reporter.
144,278. That’s how many immigrants were apprehended or deemed inadmissible at our southern border last month alone. The May figure represents a 32 percent spike from April and makes for the third straight month with at least 100,000 apprehensions or inadmissibles. All told, CBP officials have detained more than 680,000 such migrants this fiscal year alone—more than the entire population of Miami, Florida.
“We are in a full-blown emergency, and I cannot say this stronger: The system is broken,” acting CBP Commissioner John Sanders told reporters today.
The changing face of illegal immigration demands immediate attention. Families and unaccompanied children make up a growing share of those who circumvent our legal immigration system, which makes an already-severe humanitarian crisis even worse. Last month, 88,676 family unit migrants—including both legitimate families and groups that human smugglers pose as families to game the system—and 11,893 unaccompanied children were apprehended or deemed inadmissible at the border.
President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly called on Congress to address the holes in our immigration system that cause this crisis. Just as it has for decades, Capitol Hill ducked. Congressional Democrats have gone so far as to deny that any crisis exists at all.
Americans deserve the real action that politicians have promised them for years. Last Thursday, President Trump took it, announcing that the United States would place tariffs on goods from Mexico until our southern neighbor steps up and helps stop the massive number of migrants who violate its laws to illegally access our border.
More than words are needed. America has been good to Mexico for many years. All we ask now is that Mexico do its fair share to support our Border Patrol officers and bring law and order to its side of the border, as well. President Trump is confident that Mexico can and will act swiftly to confront this dangerous situation.
Something to share: Ending a system where the criminals win—and citizens lose.
By the numbers: CBP officers face a worsening crisis at the border.
President Trump: “The migrant crisis is a calamity that must now be solved.” |
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