The frustration of waiting in airport security lines intensifies when migrants, lacking proper identification, breeze through a separate line, seemingly skipping the queue with special privileges. President Joe Biden’s implementation of this migrant-identification exception poses a threat to public safety and demands immediate rectification. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is advocating for an amendment to this year’s Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, aiming to prohibit airlines from operating in U.S. airspace if they enforce different security standards for migrants compared to legal residents.
This loophole in migrant identification isn’t a novel issue; it traces back to Biden’s reversal of former President Donald Trump’s robust border security policies. Biden’s actions swiftly triggered a border crisis, attracting migrants worldwide to the southern border, knowing they’d be released into the United States. In a bid to expedite migrants’ journeys to their final destinations, Biden instructed the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to recognize charging documents issued by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents upon their release. These documents, often “Notice to Appear” forms for future immigration court hearings or similar papers, lacked sufficient background checks.
As the border crisis escalated, CBP documents varied, including “Notice to Report” instructions or the CBP One Mobile app papers. Notably, none of these documents mandated thorough background screenings. Senator Lee highlighted cases of migrants exploiting this loophole in a letter to colleagues, citing instances like Corey Alvares, who, despite using CBP documentation, was arrested for a heinous crime upon arrival. These incidents underscore the risks associated with admitting migrants without proper vetting.
Migrants released into the U.S. seldom possess valid passports or government-issued IDs, often discarding them before crossing the border. Reasons for this vary; some hail from safe countries, signaling ineligibility for asylum, while others conceal criminal pasts. Despite these concerns, Biden’s policies prioritize facilitating entry over security protocols.
Predictably, Biden opposes Lee’s proposed amendment, which threatens his administration’s catch-and-release approach. However, securing a vote on the amendment remains imperative, as it would force all Democratic senators to take a stance on the migrant-identification loophole endorsed by the Biden administration.
