U.S. authorities began deporting several migrant families on Friday on planes to Central America under an urgent expulsion system for individuals who entered the United States without authorization through Mexico. The expedited deportations are a tactic used by both Republican and Democratic administrations to deter migrants from crossing the border illegally. This comes at a time when the number of illegal border crossers is rising.
The Department of Homeland Security stated in a release that families were returned to their home countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but did not specify the number of deported individuals. It added that "expedited removals are a legal means to secure our borders and a step toward achieving our broader goal of safe and orderly immigration processes."
Officials reported in July that the number of migrants apprehended by U.S. authorities while illegally crossing the Mexican border increased by 4.5 percent in June, despite expectations of a summer decline. The southern U.S. border has attracted record numbers of migrants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and after a series of devastating storms hit Central America.
Republican lawmakers have criticized President Joe Biden for lifting restrictions imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump on immigration, including the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which forced thousands of Central American asylum seekers to stay south of the U.S. border while their claims were processed.
Biden administration officials announced plans on Monday to utilize expedited deportation flights following a significant rise in the number of families coming from Central America without lawful residency. About one-third of those apprehended by U.S. authorities in June were from Mexico, followed by three Central American countries, referred to as the Northern Triangle: Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Most migrants from South America were from Ecuador and Venezuela.
The number of children crossing the border without parents or guardians in June increased, and the U.S. government pledged to resettle them in the United States rather than returning them to Mexico, rising by eight percent since May to a total of 15,253 — more than 500 minors per day.
