US Agency Considers Migrant Releases Over Budget Shortfall

Facts

• US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may release thousands of migrants who are currently in detention centers due to concerns over the agency’s $700M budget deficit, according to officials who spoke with the Washington Post on Wednesday.¹
• After Congress failed to pass a Senate border bill last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), started looking for ways to make up for one of its largest budget shortfalls in years.²
• Interim ICE director Patrick Lechleitner earlier this month said the agency would “have to make some tough decisions” if it didn’t receive more funding, and it may release many of the 38K migrants it's currently detaining.³
• ICE could release 16K migrants, curbing detention levels down to 22K, but it's uncertain if such a release of migrants would even cover a significant amount of the budget shortfall. DHS could also reappropriate funds from other agencies.⁴
• DHS spokesperson Erin Heeter says the department is 'chronically underfunded,' as record numbers illegally cross the Southern border every month. While Republicans have long called for increased border security, they voted against last week's bill over enforcement concerns.⁴
• The migrant crisis has become a defining political issue for the upcoming presidential election. While border encounters were down in January, officials expect the number to rise dramatically in the coming spring months.⁵

Sources: ¹Forbes, ²FOX News, ³CBS, ⁴Washington Post and ⁵BBC News.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. Democrats are playing a truly wicked game with the sovereignty of America, as they hold the nation hostage and push for millions of illegals to flood the US with impunity. Biden’s DHS is essentially blackmailing Republicans, and all American citizens, into accepting all of their radical policies in order to enforce any semblance of border security.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by Raw Story. Border hawk Republicans had the opportunity to give ICE all the money it needed — and more — to fund its border security efforts, yet it refused to pass a bipartisan bill for political reasons. The fact that Republicans refused to give ICE $7.6B leaves many questions, and it's fair to wonder if the GOP is trying to sabotage the Biden administration.

Predictions