Mexico Transporting Migrants to the Border with Assistance from the Biden-Harris Administration
When former President Donald Trump said that "they" are not sending their best, he was referring to the Mexican government. His comment sparked media outrage, but recent developments suggest he might have been on point.
The Mexican government is now actively transporting migrants to the U.S. border, utilizing a phone app introduced by the Biden administration. This app facilitates their parole once they reach U.S. soil, as reported by Fox News.
“The Mexican National Institute of Migration posted the video of what it said was the first bus transporting 'foreigners' from Tapachula, in the south of the country near Guatemala, to Reynosa near the U.S. border. It said that migrants will attend their appointments scheduled via the CBP One app. It is part of an ‘Emerging Safe Mobility Corridor’ launched by the Mexican government last month,” the report noted.
The CBP One app, expanded under the Biden administration, now enables up to 1,450 migrants daily to secure an appointment at a U.S. port of entry. If they meet the necessary conditions, they are granted parole into the country. Additionally, the app allows users to submit their documentation ahead of time.
Republicans have voiced concerns that the humanitarian parole process is being exploited by the current administration, with 95 percent of scheduled appointments reportedly resulting in approval.
The Mexican government issued a press release outlining the new initiative.
"The Mexican government, through the National Institute of Migration (INM), announces the launch of an emerging safe mobility corridor to assist in the land transportation of foreign persons who have a CBP One appointment,” it said.
The statement highlighted the project’s aim, emphasizing an “inter-institutional strategy” focused on the safety of migrants traveling by land to their scheduled appointments. The press release also stressed that priority will be given to family units to maintain family unity during these travels.
To support foreign nationals, the INM is setting up two departure points, located at the Immigration Station in Villahermosa, Tabasco, and the Migration Regulation Office in Tapachula, Chiapas.
“The INM will issue a Multiple Migration Form (FMM) valid for 20 days for those people with a confirmed CBP One appointment who choose to travel to the scheduled appointment location through the Emerging Safe Mobility Corridor, which will allow them to have regular stay status during their journey,” the press release explained.
Additionally, a coordinated security effort ensures that authorized buses transporting migrants are accompanied by security personnel at various levels—federal, state, and municipal. Meals will also be provided during the trips. So far, the press release mentioned that 300 individuals with appointments in Tabasco and Chiapas have received responses to their requests within a few days.
In this way, the INM is taking steps to “promote actions in institutional coordination aimed at working towards safe, regular, orderly and humane migration,” the release concluded.
However, a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report pointed to concerns with the vetting process linked to the app.
“Although CBP uses biographic and biometric information submitted to CBP One to determine whether arriving noncitizens have derogatory records, it does not leverage the information to identify suspicious trends as part of its pre-arrival vetting procedures,” the report found.
Meanwhile, Brandon Judd, the former head of the Border Patrol union, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for her approach since President Joe Biden tasked her with addressing the root causes of illegal immigration in 2021.
"It’s very disappointing,” Judd told Fox News. “We gave her the policies that she needed to implement. She refused to implement those.”
Judd’s comments come amid increased scrutiny of Harris's handling of immigration and border security, particularly after Biden’s decision to forgo running for re-election, endorsing Harris as his successor. Critics argue that her performance on this crucial issue could influence the outcome of the 2024 election.