US Republicans have voiced their concerns stating they are nowhere near a deal on President Biden's border crisis. Meanwhile, frustration brews among the progressives over reports of the President considering a reinstatement of certain Trump-era border policies, in exchange for more military aid for Ukraine.
In Arizona, to counteract the border crisis, the state's Democratic governor has called for the state's National Guard. The governor criticized the inaction of the Biden administration in addressing the border issues and joined forces with the officials who had to shut down a part of the port of entry due to overwhelming masses of undocumented immigrants.
Recently, an outdoor processing centre for undocumented immigrants has been established by Border Patrol. Amid the throng waiting for processing were family units, as well as single adult men from around the globe. Over the past three weeks, more than 54,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Tucson, Arizona alone, these figures not accounting for those undetected or unreported.
Similarly, breaches in the border wall have led to incessant waves of illegal immigrants from Africa, South America, and beyond. The nearby Indian reservation, which is off-limits to media, has reportedly been hit hard by this influx due to its lack of effective border fencing. There are daily counts of up to 1,000 illegal crossings with only three to four Border Patrol agents available to manage the overwhelming situation.
Meanwhile, down in Eagle Pass, Texas, another mass illegal crossing has been reported with the numbers climbing into hundreds. The high number of immigrants has forced C.B.P. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) to temporarily suspend railway operations to refocus their officers into the field for processing assistance.
With December usually being one of the slower months for border concentrations, Border Patrol Union statistics indicate that they are on track to have one of the most significant months of apprehensions at the southern border.
An alleged proposal from the White House has led critics to argue that the border crisis could end immediately if it is dealt with decisively. The administration's hesitance to define an exact threshold for expedited removal has drawn criticism, including from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin who compared the situation to an overbooked event, concluding, 'We are sold out. We are over capacity right now. And we have to control this.'