Feds released 168,000 illegal alien family members into communities

Feds released 168,000 illegal immigrant family members into communities

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A Honduran migrant grabs his son as they climb the U.S. border fence before jumping into the U.S. to San Diego, Calif., from Tijuana, Mexico, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ... more >

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 8, 2019

The government is so overwhelmed by the border surge that it’s already released 168,000 illegal immigrant family members directly into communities, the government said Wednesday.

An ICE official made the revelation at a Senate hearing where she and other top immigration officials pleaded with Congress to do something to stop the surge of migrants that’s overwhelming the system.

April set new records, with the Border Patrol nabbing more than 58,000 illegal immigrants traveling as families in that month alone.

That was part of more than 109,000 illegal immigrants nabbed border wide, including at or between the ports of entry.

And for the first time in history, nearly half of the adults arriving are bringing children with them, looking to take advantage of the loopholes in U.S. policy that they believe — usually correctly — will earn them a foothold in the U.S.

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“They have received the message loud and clear — bring a child, you will be released,” Carla Provost, chief of the Border Patrol, told Congress.

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The numbers have overwhelmed the entire system, with agents pulled off their line-watch duties to feed babies formula, drive buses with migrants and provide medical assistance. Officers have been pulled off their duties spotting drugs at the ports of entry to assist.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...amily-members/