Republicans in Congress called on the Biden administration to halt a controversial program that flies migrants into the United States to have them avoid crossing the southern border. The bill comes as last year saw the highest flow of migrants into the United States in the nation’s history.
The Biden administration utilized a program to fly more than 320,000 illegal aliens into the country in order to have them avoid crossing the border on land. A total of 23 members of the House called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to end the program. In the letter,
Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) stated the group’s “grave concerns over the Biden administration’s actions to fly approximately 320,000 illegal immigrants from Latin American airports to 43 cities across the United States.”
“These secretive flights have compounded the effects of the already historic crisis at the Southern Border,” Fry wrote.
The letter also called on the administration to release data on the program.
The highlighting of the migrant flight program was met with immediate criticism from congressional Republicans. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) said that “Not only is Joe Biden ignoring his border crisis, he’s facilitating it with taxpayer dollars. This is an assault on our national security and American safety.”
Not only is Joe Biden ignoring his border crisis, he's facilitating it with taxpayer dollars. This is an assault on our national security and American safety.https://t.co/sjxgtcI0am
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) March 6, 2024
Last year saw the highest number of attempted border crossings in American history. Federal law enforcement officials announced that there were more than three million attempted crossings, which broke the previous record, also set during the Biden administration.
Much of the increase occurred after Biden announced the end of former President Donald Trump’s Title 42 asylum policy, which coincided with a steep decline in attempted crossings.
December 2023 saw the flow of migrants exceed 300,000 for the first time.
Much of the focus of Biden’s Thursday State of the Union address centered around the border. The president cited the recent failed border bill, which he claimed would have increased border security, with many congressional Republicans stating their disapproval.
