Q: prepared for 2 years, why is part of that plan an honor system? A: it is not an honor system
Reporter: On the memo that the U.S. Border Patrol chief sent to sector chiefs last night allowing for parole releases if overcrowding becomes an issue — that’s not Title 8, like you said would happen. I mean, these migrants don’t get an alien registration number that would be used to track them. They don’t get a court date. They’re instead asked to self-report to ICE within 60 days. You said at the beginning that you’ve prepared for this moment for almost two years. So why is part of that plan an honor system?
MAYORKAS: Oh, it is — it is not an honor system. What we — what we do is we use the resources that we have to meet the challenges that we confront … When we — when we encounter a volume of individuals for which we need to address in a different way, we do so. If those individuals do not honor their commitment to surrender to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer to be able to be placed in enforcement proceedings, they are a subject of our apprehension efforts.
Q:How many is a fraction? 6 million illegal crossings? shaky legal ground with mass releases?
Reporter: You said that it would be a fraction of migrants that this happens with. How many is a fraction when you’ve had almost 6 million illegal crossings under this administration?
MAYORKAS: We, last year, removed, returned, and expelled approximately 1.4 million individuals. That is the most in any one year.
Reporter: Will you be on shaky legal ground though with mass releases?
MAYORKAS: Well, first of all —
Reporter: Or will this be on a case-by-case basis?
MAYORKAS: First of all, your — your question has a factual predicate with which I would disagree about mass releases, number one.
But releases of individuals subject to immigration enforcement proceedings is not something particular to this administration.
Reporter: (Inaudible) on a case-by-case —
KJP: We got to keep — we got to —
Reporter: — basis, and this would not be on a case-by-case basis.
MAYORKAS: We — we implement our operations in conjunction with the Department of Justice, and we have confidence in the lawfulness of our actions.
Mayorkas Says He “Cannot Overstate” Southern Border Challenge — 27 Months After Biden Took Office
Reporter: And can I just follow up? Our teams in El Paso say that there are hundreds of migrants now in the open, in shelter with very limited access to food and water and bathrooms for days. Why aren’t they being processed? Is that what we can expect?
MAYORKAS: So, we are working very closely with nonprofit organizations, with community groups to really deli- — deliver a community response to the challenge. I cannot understate — I’m sorry, I cannot overstate how much of a challenge it is going to be and how we all have to deal with it as one administration and one country. Fundamentally — fundamentally, we need Congress to act.
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Exposed: Mayorkas’ Failed Border Plan & Shaky Legal Ground! 6M Crossings & Ineffective Honor System