800K Migrants Allowed Into US: Backlog Persists

The office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York City remains currently overbooked with appointments to process migrants who illegally entered the country, according to an official document obtained by The New York Post.

The document indicates the office is fully booked until October 2032, showing the persistent immigration problems in the United States.

Immigration backlog in ICE offices across United States

A document dated 18 February by ICE states the Biden administration allowed over 802,300 migrants captured at the southern border between March 2021 and last month to enter the country during the past two years.

This release of migrants illustrates the present administration’s strategy for addressing the United States’ ongoing immigration difficulties.

According to an ICE document, the New York City office has the greatest backlog, with almost 39,200 booked appointments for migrants as of the 13th of February.

With approximately 2,700 scheduled appointments through June 2028, the office in Jacksonville, Florida is the second most crowded.

By January 2028, more than 24,700 migrant visits are scheduled at the Miramar office in Florida. This exemplifies the great pressure that ICE offices across the country are under to process and manage the influx of migrants.

The Biden administration attempted to alleviate the backlog for the majority of 2021 by requiring migrants to report to their local ICE office. Thus, ICE sent the majority of migrants who are released at the border to the Alternatives to Detention program.

With this scheme, migrants are monitored via GPS tracking via an ankle monitor or a smartphone application. These migrants are mandated to visit their local ICE office within sixty days of their release.

Yet, according to the paper, only 44% of migrants have checked in before the deadline, while 14% have checked in beyond the deadline. Astonishingly, close to 290,000 migrants have skipped their deadline and have not reported to any ICE office.

Republican governors’ controversial decisions to transport migrants

In the preceding year, Republican governors of southern states, including Florida, Texas, and Arizona, made the contentious decision to transport thousands of migrants out of their states.

In doing so, they gave migrants transportation into Democratic-controlled places, including New York City. This action was criticized by others, who referred to it as “political theater.”

In August, Texas Governor Greg Abbott moved a large number of migrants to New York City, citing it as “the perfect destination for these migrants,” due to the city’s abundance of resources and housing, as bragged by Mayor Eric Adams of the sanctuary city.

In September, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deployed roughly 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. This just so happens to be a very popular vacation spot for New England’s ultra-wealthy.

Yet, less than 48 hours later, the refugees were put onto buses and sent to military quarters on Cape Cod.