The Department of Homeland Security published numbers for migrants that crossed the US southern border and were released into the US during the Biden Administration. Roughly 2.3 million people were allowed into the US with the expectation they would appear for mandatory processing. The report did not say how many actually did.
Since 2021, six million migrants have been apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol at the US southern border. Four million were expelled from the US back into Mexico, returned to their home country, or otherwise removed. About 2.3 million migrants were released into the US. Roughly 70% were families with children since officials don’t want children held in crowded facilities with adults and federal courts limit the stay of children in any facility. Adults can be released if facilities are over capacity. Venezuela was the largest source of released migrants (382,600), with Cuba second (316,000), then Nicaragua and Honduras (200,000 each). In addition to those removed or released, another 365,000 unaccompanied minors were assigned to federal shelters until a relative could claim them, and another 1 million entrants were detected but never apprehended. This mass influx of people has taxed communities to provide the food, shelter, and services the migrants need.
Population is one of the four leadership power sources: larger populations give a society more influence. The problem at the US southern border is not the number of people crossing, it is the lack of control of the border. Poor management undermines the effectiveness of programs that could provide beneficial immigration (e.g., H1B). While borders will grow more porous over time due to economic and political factors, clear intent and effective management will always be required.
In recent years, Texas has shipped over 100,000 migrants to New York, Chicago, Washington DC, and other cities to share the burden of providing services. Effective management would send them to Pittsburgh and other rust belt cities that need them. Pittsburgh’s population has been declining for decades, putting a drag on its economy, so it needs migrants to fill low paying jobs in the metro area. The city already has plans for boosting the immigrant population. Texas might be willing to send migrants to Pittsburg, even if it were less headline grabbing.
Source:
Maria Sacchetti and Nick Miroff, “US Released Over 2.3M Migrants at Border Since 2021, Washington Post, 7 January 2024, A19; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2024/01/06/biden-migrants-us-mexico-border/
Tim Craig, “Some States Spurn Migrants. The Rust Belt Wants Them,” Washington Post, 10 December 2023, A1; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/12/08/pittsburgh-immigration-new-york-chicago/
Photo: Edgar Clemente (AP)
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