In the midst of the ongoing challenges at the southern border of the United States, a massive caravan carrying thousands of illegal migrants is making its way toward the U.S.-Mexico border, according to reports from the Associated Press. The caravan, which has now grown to approximately 7,000 individuals, hails from various countries, including Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Venezuela, marking the largest caravan since last summer. However, it’s essential to note that this number is just a fraction of the total encounters that Border Patrol agents are expected to deal with over the course of a month.
Caravans heading towards the U.S. border have become a recurring occurrence in recent years, spanning both the Trump and Biden administrations. Often, these caravans disband along their journey, with migrants either seeking refuge in Mexico or moving to the U.S. border in smaller groups. Nevertheless, the images of such substantial numbers of people en route to the border provide a stark illustration of the surge of individuals entering the U.S. under the Biden administration’s watch.
Republicans are attributing the latest influx of immigrants storming the U.S. border to the policies of the Biden administration, as the nation grapples with what is being termed a historic crisis. One of the initial actions taken by President Biden upon entering office was to dismantle various Trump-era policies aimed at managing encounters at the southern border.
A caravan composed of thousands of migrants from Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala & Venezuela is marching through Mexico to the southern U.S. border with leaders of the huge group saying they know they can get across because Joe Biden is “not doing anything”.https://t.co/4yLK5PR9Bp
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) November 2, 2023
In response to the thousands of illegal crossings wreaking havoc on the country, the Biden administration announced its intention to restore asylum pathways that had been dismantled under the previous administration. President Biden has also indicated his commitment to implementing “consequences for illegal entry.” However, these measures have thus far failed to deter migrants, as the number of arrivals at the border is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
Chairman of the House Homeland Security Counterterrorism Subcommittee, August Pfluger, voiced concerns about the absence of consequences for illegal entry into the U.S., pointing to the administration’s policies as an incentive for illegal crossings and a potentially heightened risk of terrorism due to the porous southern border.
In an effort to address the crisis, the Biden administration has requested Congress to pass a $14 billion legislation aimed at addressing border-related issues. The proposed legislation includes provisions to expedite the removal of those in the country illegally and hire additional Border Patrol agents.
Some Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX.), have expressed their concerns regarding the border situation. Sen. Blackburn stated that the Biden administration’s policies have essentially rolled out the welcome mat for migrants, resulting in millions crossing the border illegally. Sen. Cruz emphasized the heightened importance of border security amid global concerns about radical Islamic terrorism, noting that last year, 736 individuals on the terrorist watch list attempted to enter the U.S.
