Global Courant 2023-05-09 12:49:19
The Border Patrol Union Monday evening criticized the Department of Homeland Security for announcing a “targeted enforcement operation” in Texas to remove or detain illegal immigrants — and accused the FBI of tipping off migrants hours before the operation was due to take place.
Agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials will implement the initiative on Tuesday in El Paso, where about 2,200 migrants are currently camping or living on the streets a few blocks from major ports of entry that connect the city with Juarez, Mexico.
“There is nothing like publicly announcing that dangerous people will be arrested, while forewarning them exactly where to run and hide to avoid arrest,” the Border Patrol Union tweeted late Monday night.
The National Border Patrol Council, which represents about 18,000 Border Patrol officers and support staff, went on to say the whole operation was a “sad joke” and “another indulgent PR stunt”.
CBP, ICE START ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN EL PASO AS MIGRANTS INCREASE BEFORE END OF TITLE 42
An aerial photo shows migrants waiting to cross the Rio Bravo into the US before the end of the Title 42 policy, which authorizes the immediate deportation of irregular migrants entering the country, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on May 8, 2023 . (Christian Torres Chavez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“Serious law enforcement leaders don’t behave this way,” the union added.
The CBP said that during the operation, agents will “process individuals for vetting and placement in Title 42 deportation proceedings or Title 8 removal proceedings, as appropriate,” adding that any persons posing a risk to national security will be sent to ICE for detention. transported.
The Title 42 public health order, which has been used to expedite hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants due to the COVID-19 pandemic, expires Thursday. It was originally released in 2020 under then-President Donald Trump.
In March, nearly half of all migrant encounters ended in a Title 42 eviction.
Migrants in Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez wait to cross the Rio Bravo into the US before the Title 42 policy expires on Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Christian Torres Chavez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
FOX NEWS FOOTAGE OF HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS CROSSING TEXAS AS THE END OF TITLE 42 APPROACHES
Fox News Digital reported earlier Monday that a border crossing near El Paso has seen more than 26,000 detentions and more than 7,000 “breakaways” in just 72 hours, according to official statistics.
Migrants carrying food and goods cross the banks of the Rio Grande to be processed by the Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas, after crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on May 8, 2023. (HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
DEMOCRATS RAIL AGAINST BIDEN ADMIN’S TREATMENT OF SOUTHERN BORDER AS EXPOSURE OF TITLE 42 APPROACHES
Despite the Biden administration’s repeated denial of the ongoing migrant crisis, the White House announced last week that 1,500 troops would be sent to the border to help support local border officials.
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The White House also largely bypassed the southern border.
President Biden made a single visit in January 2023 after nearly two years in office. Vice President Kamala Harris visited a CBP facility in El Paso in June 2021 despite being appointed immigration czar.
Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
