In order to maintain a good image, the administration of US President Joe Biden, on the eve of the presidential election, is trying to hide the problem with illegal migration on the country’s southern border by en masse relocating visitors to cities where their numbers are smaller, the New York Post reports, citing sources in the Department of Homeland Security.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been ordered to speed up deportations. And Border Patrol agents are transporting migrants from San Diego on buses and planes, with twice as many people arriving as when President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office.
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It is noted that illegal immigrants are sent to border detention centers in Texas and Arizona, where the number of migrants is much smaller. San Diego County Border Patrol Chief Jim Desmond called the move a “blatant attempt” by the Biden-Harris administration to “protect their image before the election.”
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On one day last week alone, Border Patrol detained more than 1,200 undocumented migrants in San Diego detention centers that house just 1,000 people, Department of Homeland Security sources said. That puts the Border Patrol center at 122% capacity.
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At the same time, buses that transport illegal immigrants have been running for several months, but the frequency of their trips has increased. The number of migrants being released after their departure has also increased.
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Sources say this is all being done to prevent immigration officials from releasing migrants onto the streets of San Diego, as local non-profit holding facilities are also overcrowded, to avoid public outcry.
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The issue of illegal immigration at the US southern border is one of the cornerstones of the upcoming presidential election in November. With the number of illegal crossings at the US southern border regularly hitting record highs over the past three years, Joe Biden’s administration is facing criticism from opponents while voters are dissatisfied with the Democratic administration’s handling of the border crisis, according to polls.
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Biden at the beginning of his term tasked Harris with tackling the complex situation with illegal immigration. The problem has grown to record proportions during the Democratic administration, for which Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump does not miss the opportunity to criticize his rival.
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Another reason for negative assessments is that during her tenure, Harris visited the border only twice. During a recent visit to the southern region, she promised to “fix the immigration system,” for which she has been responsible in recent years.
