The Trump administration has used its broadened authority under the national emergency sparked by the coronavirus to deport or expel nearly 10,000 illegal immigrants since March 21.
The measures have allowed the agency to quickly turn away most unauthorized migrants — sending them back across the Mexican border, the Washington Post reported.
Customs and Border Protection acting Commissioner Mark Morgan told the Washington Post that border crossings have dipped 56% since rapid expulsions began.
“Those who are undocumented or don’t have documents or authorization are turned away,” he said. “This is not about immigration. This is about public health. This is about putting forth aggressive mitigation and containment strategies.”
House Democrats sent a letter to federal immigration authorities last month demanding they release detained illegal immigrants to decrease the likelihood of them contracting the virus.
*story by The Washington Examiner