As California and Texas continue their efforts in securing the border, the migrant crisis has taken center stage in the presidential campaign. Biden and Trump, the likely Democrat and Republican presidential candidates who already secured the nomination, regularly attack each other and their parties for the influx of migrants in recent years. This comes at a time when migrant crisis becomes major problem for growing number of Americans all over the country.
Record numbers
Data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveals that approximately 9.4 million undocumented migrants entered the U.S. during the fiscal years of 2021 to 2024, up until the end of February of this year. Including another more than 2 million gotaways, combined, they total an estimated 11.4 million, more than the population of 43 U.S. states. The U.S. Border Patrol had nearly 250,000 encounters with migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico in December 2023, according to government statistics. That was the highest monthly total on record.
Securing the border
The state of Texas is in the center of the migrant crisis. More than three years have passed since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Operation Lone Star aimed at securing the border with state resources. Republicans repeatedly criticize the federal government for not doing their job at the border. However, GOP senators are to blame for the failed border bill last month that would have helped in securing the border.
Focus point
Donald Trump has been vocal in criticizing President Biden and the White House administration for letting millions of migrants illegally enter the country. As the immigration emerges as a major issue ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Trump once again attacked the Biden admin over the weekend in a series of posts on Truth Social. Among other accusations, Trump also said that America now has the worst border anywhere in the world under Biden leadership.
Trump wrote: “Four years ago we had the strongest and safest Border in U.S. history. Now we have the worst Border anywhere in the World, EVER!!! OUR BORDERS HAVE COMPLETELY COLLAPSED, AND MANY CRIMINALS ARE POURING INTO OUR COUNTRY. MAGA2024!”
Trump stepping up the attacks
In other posts shared on Truth Social, the former president Donald Trump shared several videos displaying migrants at the border between the U.S. and Mexico, with added clips of Biden appearing to back them. Trump titled these videos as: “Biden’s invasion” and “Crooked Joe Biden’s invasion.” In another video shared by Trump, he attacks the Biden admin alleging that Democrats let millions of migrants in the U.S. on purpose hoping that they will vote in the upcoming election However, there’s no proof that illegal immigrants are being signed up to vote in any election in the U.S.
Migrant incident in Texas
More than 100 people trying to get into the US illegally clashed with the Texas National Guard rushing a border wall last Thursday. They got through the razor wire and some of them even pushed past some guards. The Texas National Guard tried to split them up into smaller groups. The situation got heated when some families ended up being split up. A video from The New York Post shows a group, mostly single men, then rushing the Texas troops.
It was later revealed that the area where this incident took place is known as Gate 36, next to the highway in El Paso. Most of the migrants were pushed back to Mexico, but some of them who managed to temporarily enter the country, were arrested. Others were taken into the country for processing. Border Patrol agent Orlando Marrero told the local KFOX14 news station, “The migrants that we encountered here today at Gate 36 will be taken to a processing center.”
Bill Melugin, a reporter for Fox News, posted on X that one person was arrested for attacking a guard. He said there might be more charges coming for breaking stuff and hitting people, based on what Border Patrol agents said. Texas Gov. Abbott later confirmed that the spot was secured again.
Migrant incident in California
California border cities are experiencing difficulties in handling the influx of migrants in recent months. This problem is additionally fueled by growing number of immigrants who fell from the 30-foot-high southern border wall and later seek medical help, of course, free of charge under California law. Last week, one such incident resulted with death.
In San Diego, a woman died on a Thursday night after she fell from the high border wall. Around 10:33 p.m. local time, near a place called Britannia Court, border officers found her and quickly informed the local fire-rescue team, according to what Mónica Muñoz from the department shared with Newsweek the next day. Crews responded and reported the incident to San Diego Police. The victim did not survive.
Read also: Migrants are flooding NYC streets. And none of them wants to leave the city, even for free.
The spring surge
The spring surge refers to the time when the weather improves and thousands of people from Central and South America are able to make the journey to the southern US border without the nights being too cold or the days too hot. The influx of migrants is expected to continue in coming months amid efforts taken to securing the southern border.
