The Immigration Parole Loophole

Author

Bubba
19 Sep

The official numbers on illegal immigration fail to capture the whole story. (Fox News)

New Customs and Border Protection statistics: Nearly 530,000 migrants have been let into the country under the Biden administration’s parole program for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

  • 813,000 migrants have scheduled appointments via the CBP One app to enter the U.S.

  • Both programs are considered legal entry pathways, and are not counted as illegal crossings in Border Patrol data.

  • Most migrants are granted two-year humanitarian parole, which allows them to stay in the country and apply for work.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin:

Every single ICE source/contact I’ve spoken with has told me the same thing - they do not have the manpower or resources to find and deport such a large population of people if they overstay these 2 year grants. …

The bottom line - the more than 1 million migrants the Biden admin has allowed into the U.S. via these programs are here to stay - even if they fall out of status and become unlawfully in the U.S.

The narrative: With immigration near the top of the list of voter concerns, the Biden-Harris administration has touted its recent efforts to get the border crisis under control.

  • Following President Biden’s executive order restricting asylum claims, illegal crossings dropped 40%, the Homeland Security Department claimed in June.

  • Kamala Harris, once dubbed the administration’s “border czar,” has tried to spin her immigration record over the past four years as a “long-term approach.”

Bubba’s Two Cents

Immigration (alongside the economy) is one of Harris’ biggest political liabilities. The fact that the administration waited until illegal crossings were at record highs for months to take action doesn’t inspire much confidence on their handling of the issue. The fact that hundreds and thousands of migrants are still being let in the country under Biden parole programs makes it seem like the administration’s newfound toughness on the border is a cynical ploy for votes. This is exactly the type of stuff that Donald Trump should focus on. Will he?

Chart: Gallup