The Department of Homeland Security needs a complete overhaul of how it investigates immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to address national security concerns, a new inspector general report admits.
A redacted version of the June 7 report was released this week, claiming that flaws in the system make it easier for “dangerous” non-citizens to enter the country.
The report completely blasts President Joe Biden’s policies on immigration and migration, while claiming agents protecting the nation’s borders are not given the proper tools to investigate asylum seekers.
It comes amid a raging illegal immigration crisis at the southern border and the Biden administration’s failure to implement policies that would suppress the number of migrants crossing each day.
Just this month — after three and a half years of pressure from Republicans — Biden announced an executive order that would limit the number of asylum seekers at the border to 2,500 per day.
The Inspector General’s Office released a report this week saying the Department of Homeland Security should “improve its screening and vetting of asylum seekers and noncitizens” seeking to enter the US.
Republicans immediately said the order was a last-ditch effort by the White House to make it appear as if the president was addressing the crisis, despite taking dozens of actions beforehand that they say have undermined national security and migrants to Texas, Arizona, California have worsened. , New Mexico, Florida and other southern states.
“Until the Department addresses these challenges, DHS remains at risk of admitting dangerous individuals into the country or allowing asylum seekers who could pose a significant threat to public safety and national security to continue to reside in the United States.” , the report claims.
Just before the report was released, concerns were already mounting about the number of dangerous people crossing the southern border after eight Tajikistan nationals linked to ISIS were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force . The individuals were arrested in New York City, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
DHS, led by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, responded to the report by agreeing to all five recommendations issued by the Office of Inspector General to begin efforts to resolve the problems.
Recommendations include resolving the issue that limits what data CBP agents can access.
Other remediation recommendations include developing new policies for checking migrant names; updating technology and automating security checks for asylum seekers; and revising screening requirements for certain individuals, such as those who have received delayed adjudications and may require monitoring and rescreening.
With just five months until the 2024 presidential election, many polls claim that immigration and border security are at the top of voters’ agendas heading into November. It is often listed as the second biggest concern among voters – beaten only by the economy and inflation.
President Joe Biden announced an executive order this month that will limit the number of migrants who can seek asylum in the U.S. once it reaches 2,500 per day.
The 35-page report in question, titled “DHS Needs to Improve Its Screening and Vetting of Asylum Seekers and Noncitizens Applying for Admission into the United States,” claims that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents do not have access to complete data essential for screening and vetting those seeking entry into the US
It admits that DHS has not effectively screened — and is unable to scrutinize — noncitizens and asylum seekers as they enter the country.
Agents are therefore forced under the Biden administration to allow these migrants into the country, despite having no ability to effectively investigate non-citizens.
This, the inspector general’s report claims, creates a gap in national security that could lead to dangerous individuals being allowed in.