The reasons behind the dramatic drop in migration across the US-Mexico border

lThe immigration measures announced by the president of the United StatesJoe Biden, three weeks ago have dramatically reduced the flow of people across the southern border – the border with Mexico -.

According to the criteria of

According to new statistics presented by el Department for Homeland Security (or DHS for its acronym in English), the meetings (arrests) with immigrants have fallen by 40 percent during this period.

According to statistics, Of the 3,800 arrests that were being made daily before that date, in this last week there were an average of 2,400.

According to DHS, people from more than 20 countries have been expelled or repatriated from more than 20 countries during this period thanks to these policies. Many of them through more than 100 international flights, including Colombia.

Biden’s executive order -signed at the beginning of June- establishes a border closure when daily arrests exceed 2,500 people. From that moment on, anyone who is detained and cannot demonstrate a case of persecution that warrants asylum (according to increasingly rigorous standards) will be deported almost automatically. and will not be able to return to the United States for 5 years.

The rule will be relaxed again once arrests average 1,500 people over a one-week period.

How does the new US immigration policy work on the border with Mexico?

The DHS notes that the new number of arrests is the lowest recorded since January 2021, when Biden assumed the presidency. Despite this, is still above the expected average (1,500) and, therefore, the restrictions will remain in force for the time being.

The decline in arrests or detentions in these three weeks coincides with a more generalized reduction that has been occurring since March of this year and that, in part, is attributed to an effort by the Mexican government to stem the flow in its territory and before reaching to the border with the United States

That figure went from about 275,000 people on average last year (during the months of March, April and May) to about 245,000 this year in the same period.

The DHS notes in a statement that the results are still preliminary and do not replace the inaction of the United States Congress that still has not passed a law that would give them authority and resources to exercise stricter control at the border.

The numbers of deportees from the United States.

According to DHS, people from more than 20 countries have been expelled or repatriated from more than 20 countries during this period thanks to these policies. Many of them through the more than 100 international flights including Colombia.

Sources consulted by this newspaper maintain that only in the case of compatriots About 5,000 people have been deported per month on average and the numbers are growing.

Other sources maintain that since the United States raised the criteria for granting asylum, the rejection rate has increased. In fact, says the DHS, in these three weeks they have doubled the number of people deported and have reduced by 65 percent the number of individuals who were released in United States territory as their cases progressed in immigration courts.

Experts on the subject warn, however, that the reduction of these three weeks could simply indicate that migrants are being more cautious, using other routes, or waiting for Biden’s measures to be sued in court for contravening current laws. .

Under U.S. rules, the country is required to process all cases of people arriving at its borders seeking asylum. That includes access to lawyers, courts and other legal resources. But as happened during the pandemic when a public health emergency was declared to close the border, Biden is now appealing to a staffing and resource crisis that prevents cases from being processed in a timely manner.

The DHS news, of course, benefits Biden politically, since the crisis at the border is an Achilles heel for the current electoral campaign and allows him to reach this Thursday’s debate with Donald Trump armed with statistics that suggest a better situation.

In its announcement, the DHS also mentions a series of measures that have been taken at the border to prevent people with criminal pasts or gang members from entering the country. And he cites, specifically, the case of Aragua Trainthe organization that has its origins in Venezuelan prisons but has expanded throughout the continent.

“For example, DHS has implemented enhanced border enforcement measures to identify known or suspected gang members, including members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. “Individuals confirmed to be gang members should be referred for criminal proceedings or detained and placed in expedited removal proceedings,” the document says.

SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI

EL TIEMPO correspondent

Washington