Border Patrol paroles 2,500 immigrants after judge’s decision to suspend program

The Department of Homeland Security on Friday paroled about 2,500 immigrants who entered the United States through the southern border, according to a ministry official.

This comes a day after a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Border Patrol agents who are using parole to catch and release the wave of immigrants now cresting along the U.S.-Mexico border. It was about

Judge T. Kent Wetherell’s order, which the Biden administration is appealing, went into effect on Friday, but it’s not clear what authority the government exercised for the new parole.

Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Department of Justice responded to requests for comment over the weekend. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the border patrol, said it would respond “as soon as possible” but did not by Sunday afternoon.

An official who revealed the new parolees said the Department of Homeland Security paroled 6,000 people on Thursday before Title 42’s pandemic border deportation authority expired just before midnight.

It was also at this point that Judge Wetherell’s order was issued, but Friday saw another 2,500 releases.

The Department of Homeland Security is struggling to deal with unprecedented prison breakouts along the U.S.-Mexico border that have flowed nearly 10,000 immigrants into Mexico a day as Title 42 ends.

But in an unexpected turn of events, the number fell when Title 42 was lifted, from 10,000 in the previous day to 6,300 on Friday and 4,200 on Saturday, says Alejandro Mallorcas Homeland Security. the secretary told CNN.

Mayorkas told ABC that the drop in numbers meant that normal immigration powers were being used to keep up with the flow of people.

“Following a 50% reduction in encounters at the southern border, we are implementing our impact regime as planned,” he told ABC.

If the numbers remain high, the choices facing Mr. Mayorkas and his team are all bad, Border Patrol Deputy Chief Matthew Hudak told the judge in court filings on Friday. Agents can also release immigrants on parole with a 60-day check-in condition. He said check-in requirements are less stringent, but immigrants may be released on so-called “report notices.” Or they couldn’t catch immigrants in the first place.

Without parole, the latter option would become a real and alarming reality, he said.

“Such groups that the USBP cannot arrest include those associated with terrorist organizations, persons with criminal records, human smugglers, and other members of the same group who may actively include children. This could include traffickers and vulnerable children unaccompanied by a guardian.” Not only their parents, but also those who have entered the country seeking asylum or other protection.” said Chief Hudak.

This is a claim he made earlier in the week, and Judge Wetherell has already denied the claim, saying there is not much difference between parole and release without parole, saying: Because they are forced to do so,” he said. They are not subject to dismissal proceedings and are subject to little review or oversight. ”

He also rejected what he called “eschatology,” saying the border turmoil was “self-inflicted” by the administration’s policies that fueled an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration in two years.

Parole is a special authority given by the Department of Homeland Security to allow immigrants without visas or permits to enter the United States.

The scheme is to be exercised on a case-by-case basis and only in cases of urgent humanitarian need or of significant public interest. Traditionally, this was seen as a case of someone needing urgent medical attention or someone needed as a witness in a criminal case.

Under President Biden, however, it became a secondary immigration system, with 1.5 million immigrants on parole since October 1, 2021.

Judge Wetherell ruled in March that the administration was abusing its parole powers. In particular, it said there was no case-by-case review and the administration was rolling back the law. While the ministry justified public interest by pointing to the need to reduce overcrowding at border patrol posts, the judge said the law requires consideration in terms of the benefits immigrants may bring. rice field.

The Biden administration could have appealed the previous ruling, but it could not.

Now he’s desperate to derail his latest verdict.

White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre attacked the judge’s ruling.

“It’s sabotage,” she said. “That’s our interpretation.

“This is a harmful ruling,” she added.

He said the administration “will continue to use all available tools to deal with this issue in a humane and orderly manner.”