AOC slams Biden and demands he ‘takes responsibility and reverses’ border wall construction – as his administration u-turns AGAIN and starts deporting thousands of Venezuelans to combat migrant surge

The Biden administration will resume deportations of Venezuelans in a new migration reversal — as staunch Democrat AOC criticized the president for his border wall construction policies.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas called the new measure during a speech in Mexico City one of the “strict consequences” that the Biden administration links to the expansion of legal pathways for asylum seekers.

“Our two countries are challenged by unprecedented levels of migration in our hemisphere,” Mayorkas said, referring to Mexico.

Venezuelans were the largest group encountered at the US-Mexico border last month.

Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement Thursday evening: “The Biden administration was under no obligation to expand border wall construction — and it certainly was under no obligation to waive various environmental laws to expedite construction.

“The president must take responsibility for this decision and reverse course.”

“A wall does nothing to stop people fleeing poverty and violence from coming to the United States.

“Walls only serve to push migrants into more remote areas, increasing their risk of death. It’s a cruel policy.’

The repatriation flights are expected to begin soon, although officials did not provide specific details on when the flights would begin departing.

The resumption of deportation flights comes not long after the government increased protected status for thousands of Venezuelans who had previously arrived in the US. They must have entered the country before July 31 this year to qualify for temporary protected status.

In making official the recent expansion of protections, President Joe Biden’s administration said this week that it had determined that “extraordinary and temporary circumstances continue to prevent Venezuelan nationals from returning to safety.”