Mayorkas Dodges Question about Border Releases

(RightWing.org) – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been in the hot seat for months over the rising flood of immigrants attempting to enter the country. He recently dodged a question about border releases, raising questions about his continued competence to perform as the Biden administration’s top official addressing border security and immigration issues.

On January 3, Mayorkas sat down for a wide-ranging interview with the panelists of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Co-host Willie Geist didn’t hold back any punches while grilling the DHS head about the rising number of unresolved cases involving asylum seekers.

Geist pointed out that there was a backlog of roughly three million cases of asylum seekers who were granted entry into the United States to await their appearance before an immigration judge to determine the outcome of their request. He also pointed out the grim reality that, in most instances, it would take several years for their case to go to trial.

Continuing, Geist asked two questions. He wanted to know if Mayorkas thought it was “a good idea” to allow asylum seekers to remain in the US “while they await trial” or if they should “remain where they are?” — on the other side of the border. He also asked what Mayorkas thought about the current backlog of migrants awaiting the final disposition of their requests for asylum.

Mayorkas clearly had no interest in answering the question about asylum seekers gaining entry into the US, sometimes lingering for years for their hearings. He talked in circles about his thoughts about the current state of affairs.

Predictably, Mayorkas blamed the Trump administration for the problem, claiming it withheld essential border security funding from border security agencies. However, he didn’t provide any factual support for those claims. Instead, he offered the usual claim that America’s immigration system has been broken for years.

In the meantime, House Republicans are ramping up their long-standing effort to impeach Mayorkas for dereliction of duty. Homeland Security Committee Chair Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) recently announced a full committee hearing on January 10 to “evaluate the impacts” of “Mayorkas’ failed leadership” on the country and his refusal to enforce the nation’s immigration and border security laws.