Migration News

Exclusive: Unaccompanied migrant children staying in Border Patrol facilities an average of 107 hours, internal records show]
Priscilla Alvarez, CNN
Thousands of migrant children who crossed the US-Mexico border alone are being held in US Border Patrol custody for more than four days on average in facilities unfit for minors, a dramatic increase from a week ago, according to internal documents reviewed by CNN. The data, dated Tuesday, is the latest indication of the challenge facing the Biden administration to address the bottleneck in the immigration system, with the number of unaccompanied children outpacing the availability of proper shelter space to care for kids. On average, over the last 21 days, Customs and Border Protection encountered 435 unaccompanied children daily, up from a previous average of around 340 children.

Biden restarts program to help migrant children fleeing violence in Central America
Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY
The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it will restart a program that reunites children from several Central American countries with their parents who are in the United States legally. But a senior White House official had a key message to individuals who might see this as a sign to come to the U.S.-Mexico border: "La frontera está cerrada" — or "the border is closed."

No evidence migrants at border significantly spreading virus
Paul J. Weber and Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press
As he ended Texas’ coronavirus restrictions Wednesday over the objections of public health officials, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has tried shifting concern about the virus' spread to migrants with COVID-19 crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, though without evidence they are a significant factor. The focus by Abbott and other Republicans on migrant families has drawn criticism about invoking a long history in the U.S. of wrongly suggesting migrants spread diseases.

Facing Pressure, Biden Administration Scrambles to Shelter Migrant Children
Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Catie Edmondson, The New York Times
The Biden administration took steps on Wednesday to address surging migration to the border, restoring a program allowing some Central American children to apply from their home country for admission to the United States and searching for additional housing for the increasing number of young migrants who have been detained after crossing from Mexico.Facing intensifying pressure over the prolonged detention of migrant children, Roberta S. Jacobson, a special assistant to President Biden overseeing border issues, announced the restart of an Obama-era program that allowed children in Central America to apply for protection in the region and avoid making the dangerous journey north to join parents already in the United States.

Migrant apprehensions continued upward trend in February
Julián Aguilar, The Texas Tribune
More than 100,000 people were either apprehended by or surrendered to federal immigration officials on the U.S.-Mexico border in February, continuing an increasing trend that began last year and persists under a Biden administration that has rolled back several of former President Donald Trump's hardline policies. The statistics released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security include about 9,460 unaccompanied minors and more than 19,240 family units, increases of about 62% and 38% respectively when compared with January’s figures.

Biden administration won’t defend Trump immigration rule
Sophia Tareen and Jessica Gresko, Associated Press
A Trump-era immigration rule denying green cards to immigrants who use public benefits like food stamps was dealt likely fatal blows Tuesday after the Biden administration dropped legal challenges, including before the Supreme Court. Continuing to defend the rule “is neither in the public interest nor an efficient use of limited government resources,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. The Supreme Court won’t weigh in on the legality of the so-called public charge rule because of an agreement by the Biden administration and the parties and states challenging it. The Justice Department also dropped objections to a ruling before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, upholding a federal judge’s November order striking down the rule nationwide. 

Further Reading

RELEASE: New Column Details the Profile of Immigrant Women in the Workforce
Center for American Progress

Biden ends policy forcing asylum-seekers to ‘remain in Mexico’ – but for 41,247 migrants, it’s too late
The Conversation

An Asylum Seeker’s Long Wait in Mexico
The American Prospect

Two transgender asylum seekers with MPP cases enter U.S.
The Washington Blade