Despite More Staff, CBP Says “No Resources” To Process Asylum Applicants At Ports

David BierCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) has taken a series of unprecedented actions to limit the ability of immigrants to request asylum in the United States. But among its earliest and most consequential decisions was to cap the number of migrants who it would process for asylum at ports of entry. This policy clearlyviolates federal law. More importantly, it forces asylum seekers to remain homeless in squalid and desperate conditions in dangerous Mexico border cities, leading many to cross illegally.The American Immigration Council  and Al Otro Ladohave challenged the policy (the government calls it “metering”) in court, and the government has argued that it lacks the resources to process undocumented migrants who arrive at ports to request asylum. In other words, it is violating the law because it simply physically cannot follow it. The challengers argue that this is a mere pretext for ke eping out asylum seekers, and administration officials commentsseem to confirm that this is the intention.The data support their contention that the Trump administration has artificially reduced the capacity of ports without any reduction in resources for ports. In response to aFreedom of Information Act request, CBP provided me the number of CBP Office of Field Operation (OFO) officers permanently assigned to southwest border ports of entry. CBP-OFO processes documented and undocumented travelers who apply to enter at ports.Figure 1 compares the annual number of “inadmissibl...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs