The US Federal government is expecting a record-breaking surge of unaccompanied underage illegal immigrants to flood the US-Mexico this year.
According to a leaked report, the Department of Homeland Security estimates up to 160,000 to enter the United States in 2022.
“DHS projections call for approximately 148,000 and 161,000 [unaccompanied children] referrals to [Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement] this year,” an Interior Department projection revealed as per the Washington Examiner.
The report, which was drafted in January 2022, allegedly warned the US government of “monthly projections exceeding those seen in FY 2021,” the same time a record-breaking of 147,000 migrant children entered the US without a parent, guardian or family member.
In fact, between October 2021 and May this year, the US Customs and Border Patrol agents have reportedly picked up more than 101,000 unaccompanied minors which have far exceeded the record numbers seen in 2021.
However, the problem lies with the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act that protects and shields immigrant children who entered the US illegally, alone from deportation. Until the officials find an adult or usually a relative in the US to take charge of their care, the children will remain at HHS shelters.
Many have also blasted the law for encouraging families to send their kids “on the dangerous journey alone,” the New York Post reported.
In 2020, President Joe Biden denounced the policy during the presidential campaign. However, he was accused of hypocrisy after Biden’s administration reopened emergency housing facilities for migrant teens in early 2021.
The president also attempted to bring back President Trump’s tough border policies, which now led to a plunge in illegal crossings during his term in office.
Late June, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis blasted the White House over unaccompanied migrant children who cross the US-Mexico border without their guardians or parents.
He also accused the Biden administration of launching secret migrant flights to communities around the country.
“There’s no warning. It’s just in the middle of the night. And then you’ll wake up and someone will say, ‘they brought a bunch of unaccompanied minors.'” DeSantis claimed.
However, federal officials repeatedly claimed that these “ghost flights” had been happening exactly the same way during previous administrations.
“This is completely consistent with the law and our responsibilities. Our legal responsibility is to care for unaccompanied children while they are on our watch, and that includes connecting them to vetted sponsors.” Jorge Silva, a deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at U.S. Health and Human Services said in a statement.
