The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday said unauthorized border crossings plummeted following the rollout of a new program that allows migrants to apply from their home country to enter the U.S. — a program now being challenged by a coalition of conservative states.
The program – limited only to migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela – resulted in a 97 percent drop in irregular migration from the four countries, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
“These expanded border enforcement measures are working,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement.
Under the program, up to 30,000 migrants from those countries can enter the U.S. each month, and the United States can quickly expel to Mexico an equal number of migrants from those nations who show up at the border uninvited.
In its news release, the Department of Homeland Security touted the 3,367 daily average crossings in the week leading up to December compared to just 115 daily average crossings in the week leading up to Jan. 24.
But administration officials also took shots at GOP-led states who are suing to stop the parole program, despite its apparent initial success.
“It is incomprehensible that some states who stand to benefit from these highly effective enforcement measures are seeking to block them and cause more irregular migration at our southern border,” said Mayorkas.
