Dozens of migrants have been deported to their countries of origin following the new immigration policy that began after the lifting of so-called Title 42, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Monday.
Some of the countries where foreigners have returned are Mexico, Colombia and Peru.
“The situation at the border remains very fluid and is constantly evolving,” Blas Nuñez-Neto, Undersecretary for Border Policy and Immigration, told a press conference.
Significantly, the United States had stopped enforcing Title 42 rules on the night of last Thursday, May 11, which allowed the immediate removal of immigrants for health reasons due to COVID-19.
However, not all of the above were a free pass for people seeking to reach American soil, as other restrictions on asylum applications were established at the border, known as Title 8, with which deportation has also been done.
“We have captured and repatriated thousands of non-citizens, both individuals and families, to more than 10 countries, such as Colombia, Honduras and Peru,” Nuñez-Neto explained.
Currently, irregular border crossings have been reduced by about 50 percent from 10,000 a day to 5,000 in the past three days, according to DHS data.
Similarly, Núñez-Neto noted that all Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians who cross without permission are returned to Mexico instead of their countries, due to an agreement between the two countries as early as 2023. .
“This is the first time that the government of Mexico accepts the returnees of non-Mexican citizens at our land border. It has been working well in recent days,” the official acknowledged.
Title 8 allows immigrants to request asylum upon arrival at the border, although they must meet a number of requirements, including applying for it in the countries they pass through, or else they can be quickly deported.
“Migrants must seek protection in the country they depart from,” said Núñez-Neto, giving Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama or Mexico as an example, to which many leave before reaching the United States. pass by.”
“Don’t invest a lot of money or risk your life to return home,” the immigration officer warned.
The United States has & will continue to enforce our nation’s #immigration laws. The U.S. border is not open to illegal or irregular migration, & U.S. immigration laws will be tougher now that the Title 42 public health order has ended.
Get the facts ▶️ https://t.co/sD3HFpdtkT pic.twitter.com/MKPnQ6tYl0
— ICE (@ICEgov) May 15, 2023
