Rep: Gonzales: Mayorkas 'trying to put on a show' at border
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, slams DHS Secretary Mayorkas' border trip as migrant encounters continue to rise just before the expiration of Title 42
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said Wednesday that people are "tired of the shows" by the Biden administration when it comes to border security.
Gonzales said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was "putting on a show for Hispanics along the border" as Democrats face dropping approval ratings ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
"We want policy changes and that starts with the White House," he said on "Fox & Friends," adding the situation gets worse after every visit by Mayorkas to the border.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited the U.S. southern border, Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (Pool video)
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has repeatedly claimed that illegal immigrants whose asylum claims fail will be removed "promptly" from the United States – but former Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are pushing back, saying that there is little chance of that happening given the mass release of illegal immigrants into the U.S. and the current policies of the administration.
The immigration hearing process that Mayorkas describes as "immigration enforcement proceedings" takes well over five years before a deportation order is given (Mayorkas said this week it can take between six and eight years), during which migrants are not detained. There are about 3.5 million migrants currently in this status, known as the "non-detained docket." A small number of those will be enrolled in "Alternatives to Detention" for a part of their proceedings, where they will have to check-in via a phone call or a smartphone app or in some cases have an ankle bracelet. Currently, there are around 220,000 migrants enrolled in ATD.
Meanwhile, deportations have plummeted under the Biden administration. In FY 2021, just 59,011 were deported, down from 185,884 in FY 2020 and 267,258 in FY 2019.
The Texas congressman argued that the southern border is "100% open" and the situation is set to become "nuclear" with Title 42 expiring in five days.
"Title 42 has to stay in place. We saw the numbers come out for April. You know, over half of those expulsions were due to Title 42," he said.
Gonzales said that securing the southern border should not be based on political affiliation.
"It is 100% a national security issue and everybody, regardless of party, should be focused on it. The last thing any of us would want to see is another 9/11-type event occurring in the United States due to our failed policies."
The Texas border congressman said migrants are coming from all over the world and the open border is affecting all Americans.
"The reality is people from all over the world are coming into our country. They're unvetted, and they're going to all 50 states. They're not staying in Texas or Arizona. They're going absolutely everywhere. And it's dangerous."
Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report
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