GOP: Biden’s lower border crossings are ‘deceptive’ as Title 42 ends.

Republicans Accuse Biden Administration of Covering Up Illegal Immigration

“It’s clear that Secretary Mayorkas never had a plan to secure our border or end this crisis; he just had a scheme to hide it in plain sight.” – Rep. Mark Green (R-TN)

Republicans are claiming that the Biden administration is using declining border crossing numbers post-Title 42 as a smokescreen to cover up the reality that immigrants are being waved into the country at ports of entry. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) has accused Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of trying to funnel hundreds of thousands of immigrants into the country and tricking the public into believing border numbers were down.

Expanded Use of Phone App

Green claims that the Biden administration’s expanded use of a phone app that allows immigrants outside the United States to request interviews with officials at the ports of entry is a cover for illegal immigration. Mayorkas announced the CBP One app in January as a way for immigrants in Mexico to request appointments at ports of entry rather than enter illegally around them.

“The Biden administration is now using the CBP One app to incentivize illegal aliens to schedule an appointment to claim asylum directly at a [port of entry]. This is a deceptive attempt to make the chaos at the border appear more orderly,” Green said.

Decrease in Illegal Crossings

The Department of Homeland Security took a victory lap last week for the sharp decrease in illegal crossings between the ports of entry in recent weeks since Title 42 ended. Mayorkas attributed the decline, in part, to people going about admission legally. The number of noncitizens encountered both at the ports and between ports declined from more than 11,000 per day in early May to an average of 3,700 encounters per day in the following weeks.

House Hearing

Green is expected to continue hammering that claim in Wednesday’s hearing with Mayorkas before the committee.

Key Points:

• Republicans claim Biden administration is covering up illegal immigration
• Expanded use of phone app is a cover for illegal immigration
• Department of Homeland Security attributes decrease in illegal crossings to people going about admission legally
• Green is expected to continue hammering that claim in Wednesday’s hearing with Mayorkas before the committee

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.