WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Peter Meijer (R-MI), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability, John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the full Committee, and Michael Guest (R-MS), Vice Ranking Member of the full Committee, today introduced the Early Migration Alert Program (E-MAP) Act. The legislation would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to notify local law enforcement agencies and local government authorities of an impending release of migrants into their jurisdictions.
The bill was introduced days after the Biden Administration announced plans to terminate Title 42 – an action that has bipartisan opposition and many officials warn will significantly increase the already historic number of migrant encounters at the southern border.
“As we continue to experience historic levels of migrants and deadly narcotics crossing the border, Congress must continue to engage and promote policies that are in the best interest of the American people,” said Rep. Meijer. “Last year’s immigration surge placed a huge strain on local communities and public resources. If President Biden is going to do away with Title 42 and refuse to immediately deport people who cross our border illegally, the least his administration can do is notify local authorities of an impending release of these migrants into their jurisdictions. Doing so ensures that communities can prepare for and respond to the migrants, who would otherwise be left stranded in an unknown city. No such requirement is currently in place, but I hope our bill resolves this quickly.”
“Currently, there is no requirement for ICE or CBP to alert local police officers or social services agencies of a potential influx of migrants into their communities,” said Rep. Guest. “When migrants are released without warning, the lack of communication can overwhelm law enforcement agents and public services and create desperate situations for migrants who find themselves in an unknown town with no direction. As we prepare for another surge of migrants on the border, an alert system like the one E-MAP would establish is imperative. The Biden administration cannot be allowed to continue dropping off migrants in towns across America at all times of the day and night without notice.”
“By rolling back commonsense border security policies, the Biden administration has created the worst border crisis in our nation’s history resulting in more than 2 million migrant encounters so far,” said Rep. Katko. “It’s no secret that the administration has been releasing illegal migrants into towns across the country. Local communities and law enforcement are completely caught off guard and overwhelmed by the release of migrants who are left wandering the streets in a country they have never set foot in before. To make matters worse, most often there is no communication between ICE, CBP and local officials prior to the release of migrants into our communities. I commend Vice Ranking Member Guest for his leadership and I’m proud to cosponsor this commonsense solution to ensure communities aren’t crushed under the strain of the Biden administration’s reckless policies.”
Already this fiscal year, there have been record-breaking monthly encounters that are expected to continue at an overwhelming pace. Last year, encounters at the southern border peaked at a startling 213,539 encounters in July— a 21-year high and 420 percent increase compared to July 2020. During last year’s immigration surge, migrants dropped off at bus stations inundated local communities and put a significant burden on public resources. Current encounters at the border are already outpacing last year’s record-setting monthly numbers.
The E-MAP Act would require ICE and CBP to create an email subscription system to alert State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial municipalities and provide information regarding the impending release of migrants into local communities, including the:
- Number of migrants to be released
- Number of migrants with known criminal histories
- Initial destination of the migrants
- Final destinations and where they intend to settle
Original source can be found here.
