The Biden administration is considering compelling migrants who enter the United States illegally to remain in Texas while their asylum applications are processed.
According to The Los Angeles Times, administration officials describe the proposed scheme as a way to stem the flow of illegal immigrants at the southern border, citing three U.S. officials who were not authorized to discuss the topic.
According to the officials, the idea would force migrants to stay in Texas or maybe other border states by tracking their movements using GPS monitoring devices such as ankle bracelets.
The migrants would be subjected to an asylum screening to assess their eligibility to remain in the United States. Officials have considered collaborating with local organizations to offer accommodations for migrants.
Related Posts
According to a DHS spokeswoman, the Biden administration “is committed to expanding safe and orderly pathways for migrants to lawfully enter the United States while imposing consequences on those who fail to use those pathways.”
According to DHS, nearly 200,000 people have been removed or returned since May.
“DHS continuously holds policy and operational discussions on how to leverage our authorities to ensure a fair, humane, and effective immigration process that efficiently removes those without a lawful basis to stay in the country,” according to a DHS statement.
The concept would build on the Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) program, which imposes curfews and GPS monitoring on migrant families. It applies to people traveling to places such as Baltimore, Washington, and Chicago.
The probable action comes as migrant encounters at the southern border have increased. Texas has also maintained its dispute with the federal government, most recently over Abbott’s plan to use floating buoys on the Rio Grande to stop the influx of migrants.
A Texas judge decided on Wednesday that the buoys must be removed by September 15.
In addition to the floating barriers, Texas has run a busing program to take migrants to so-called “sanctuary cities” such as Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles to help border towns. Abbott claims that Texas cities have borne the brunt of illegal immigration and that “sanctuary cities” must share the burden.
“Texas has bused over 35,000 migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities,” he posted on the platform formerly known as Twitter on Tuesday. “Over 11,300 to D.C., 13,300 to NYC, 6,700 to Chicago, 2,600 to Philadelphia, 1,000 to Denver, and 480 to Los Angeles.”
Many targeted cities have grown overburdened and are still struggling to provide resources to the refugees. Democratic mayors have asked their states and the federal government for extra help.
Los Angeles city officials recently agreed to sue Abbott over the program. New York Mayor Eric Adams has asked that Biden accelerate the work-permitting process for migrants so that they may sustain themselves rather than spending city and state resources to house them in shelters.
