Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Sunday that U.S. Border Patrol encounters have dropped by half in the two days since Title 42 expired.
Around 6,300 encounters took place on Friday and 4,200 happened Saturday — a marked decrease from the over 10,000 reported before the end of Title 42, Mayorkas said during an interview on CNN.
Pressed on why the numbers have fallen, Mayorkas credited a “vitally important message” encouraging people arriving at the border to take legal pathways toward entry, which he said has been expanded by President Joe Biden in “an unprecedented way.”
Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas says it's too early to tell if the surge of migrants at the border has peaked following Title 42's expiration but the number of encounters with Border Patrol has dropped by 50% over the past two days. pic.twitter.com/nVoW7iy4Fq
— The Recount (@therecount) May 14, 2023
Mayorkas also touted stiffer punishments under Title 8, which can include deportation, a five-year ban on entry, and possible criminal prosecution.
However, Mayorkas conceded it is “still early” to tell when asked by “State of the Union” anchor Dana Bash whether the “surge” at the U.S.-Mexico border has “peaked.”
The pandemic-era Title 42, which allowed authorities to quickly turn away migrants at the border on public health grounds, came to a close at the end of Thursday, and not everyone is pleased with the Biden administration’s handling of the situation.
Republicans have been quick to fault what they say is the government’s “open border” policies ahead of what many expected to be a large influx of illegal crossings. And some Democrats have chastised the Biden administration for not doing more. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), for instance, said federal agencies “have had time to plan, but their efforts have fallen short” when it comes to helping border communities.
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Mayorkas said he would “respectfully disagree” when asked by Bash to respond to Democrats who believe the Biden administration has “fallen short.” He pointed to preparations for the expected influx of people, including the deployment of thousands more personnel and resources to assist Border Patrol.
Biden DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — who has overseen the worst border crisis on record — says "it's extraordinary what we've done over the past 18 months or so." pic.twitter.com/JFiCElfpvN
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 14, 2023
“It’s extraordinary what we’ve done over the past 18 months or so,” he said.
A federal judge in Florida issued a ruling on Thursday to block the officials from carrying out a plan to “parole” migrants at overcrowded holding facilities without a mandated court day, an order which the White House called “sabotage” and Mayorkas said was “very harmful.”
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Mayorkas said “a number” of individuals were released “because of the surge that we experienced before Title 42 came to an end.”
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas conveniently omits the number of illegal immigrants they've released into the country without court dates or the ability to track them. pic.twitter.com/HfUBrDyBPm
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 14, 2023
With the 50% drop in Border Patrol encounters, the secretary insisted the administration is “executing our consequence regime exactly as planned.”