Thread: ICE has flown more than 450 migrants to the interior of Mexico since December

ICE has flown more than 450 migrants to the interior of Mexico since December

Daniel Gonzalez Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2020



PHOENIX – The United States has flown more than 450 undocumented migrants to the interior of Mexico under a recently resumed repatriation program that flies some migrants back rather than return them at land ports on the southern border.

The resumption of the repatriation program comes as the U.S. has seen an uptick in illegal immigration from Mexico and as the U.S. has sought increasing cooperation from the Mexican government to block migrants from Central America and other countries from reaching the U.S. border.

The repatriation flights resumed in December.

Since then, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has flown more than 450 undocumented immigrants to Guadalajara, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a post on Twitter.

ICE has not released data on the total number of undocumented migrants flown to Mexico.

CBP

✔@CBP

Since December 19, CBP and @ICEgov have returned more than 450 Mexican nationals to Guadalajara as part of the Interior Repatriation Initiative. CBP and ICE will continue to apprehend and remove those who illegally cross the border.



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1:24 PM - Jan 28, 2020
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Guadalajara in the western state of Jalisco is about 1,100 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border and is Mexico's second largest city.

The migrants flown to Guadalajara were apprehended by the Border Patrol, part of CBP, and transferred to ICE custody.

The repatriation program, which is being implemented with cooperation from Mexico's Ministry of the Interior, is intended to discourage undocumented immigrants caught by the Border Patrol from returning to the U.S. after their repatriation.

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Typically undocumented immigrants from Mexico caught by the Border Patrol are sent back at border crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The Interior Repatriation Initiative reflects our commitment and ongoing bilateral effort with the government of Mexico to ensure strong, humane and effective enforcement of both nations' immigration laws," acting ICE Director Matt Albence said in a written statement.


So far, the flights have left from airports in Arizona, ICE officials said.

The most recent flight left Jan.24 from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport carrying 106 migrants, including 97 men and nine women, according to Mary Houtmann, an ICE spokeswoman.

The first flight left Dec. 19 from Tucson International Airport with approximately 150 undocumented immigrants from Mexico, ICE officials said in a statement.

After falling sharply for years, Border Patrol apprehensions of undocumented immigrants from Mexico have increased recently, in part due to growing numbers of migrants fleeing cartel violence and seeking asylum in the U.S.

During the 2019 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the Border Patrol made 166,458 apprehensions of undocumented Mexicans.

That is up 9% from the 152,257 Border Patrol apprehensions of undocumented immigrants from Mexico the year before.

The number is far below the 800,634 Border Patrol apprehensions of undocumented immigrants from Mexico in 2007.

The Border Patrol has made 47,286 apprehensions of Mexican migrants through the first three months of the 2020 fiscal year, which started Oct. 1. That includes 40,737 single adults, 3,505 "family units" – parents and children – and 3,044 minors not accompanied by parents.

ICE started the repatriation flights to the interior of Mexico as a pilot program in 2012. The program was made permanent in 2013, but then halted after the number of Mexican migrants crossing the border illegally plummeted.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...co/4627790002/

Load up SHIPS with thousands of them and drop off at the very Southern tip of Mexico!!!