The Trump administration is finally ending the controversial “catch and release” program that allows illegals into the country while they wait for their immigration hearings:
WASHINGTON TIMES – Homeland Security will finally end “catch-and-release” of Central American illegal immigrant families at the border, acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan announced Monday, saying they’ve finally gotten a handle on the migrant surge that had sowed chaos at the border over the last year.
Mr. McAleenan said families that attempt to claim asylum will usually be sent to wait in Mexico while their cases proceed in U.S. immigration courts. Those that don’t attempt to claim asylum will be quickly returned to their home countries.
The announcement is a sign of how much progress Mr. McAleenan has made in changing the dynamics at the border, cutting record levels of illegal family migration and striking a series of deals with Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to gain their cooperation in repatriating their citizens.
“With some humanitarian and medical exceptions, DHS will no longer be releasing family units from Border Patrol stations into the interior,” the acting secretary said.
DHS said in their press release that this new policy ending catch and release will be instituted by DHS starting next week!
This has everything to do with Trump’s negotiations with other countries, namely Mexico, and little if nothing to do with Congress. I would call this a huge success for Trump and something he should definitely tout on the campaign trail.
Unfortunately this won’t last long if Trump doesn’t get reelected next year, which is the problem with these executive branch solutions. Congress really needs to act, but we know that’s not gonna happen anytime soon. So we’ll have to take what we get.