The Biden administration released a new public messaging campaign warning would-be illegal immigrants that the “immigration laws are tougher.” This messaging comes at a time when border officials have begun releasing thousands of illegal immigrants into the country.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that their messaging was aiming to “counter lies peddled by smugglers” following the end of Title 42, a COVID-19 health order which allowed border agents to expel migrants without trial. The campaign advertisements are going to be playing on social media in South and Central America. The statements in the ads note that “CROSSING ILLEGALLY IS A CRIME,” “U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE TOUGHER,” and “GET INFORMED AND OBEY THE LAW.”
While the Biden administration might be attempting to show that they take a harsher stance against crime, many top border officials are preparing to authorize the release of thousands of immigrants currently held in government and non-government facilities.
According to CBP sources, there are also signs that show that Border Patrol officials have already started releasing immigrants. On Wednesday they were holding 28,000 migrants but that figure has now dropped to 26,000.
On Wednesday during a press conference, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas released a similar statement urging migrants to remember that smugglers were only focused on making a profit and did not care about their well-being. He further stated that people should not be risking their lives and money to enter the U.S. only to be expelled.
Finally, Mayorkas once again reiterated that the U.S. border was not open and that they have been preparing for two years for the surge in migrations following May 11th.
