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Journey to the Border – Part 7: Federal Policy
The Sherriff of Brooks County, Texas described the border crisis to us as a collective “national security, public health and humanitarian crisis.”
Currently, under Title 8, when someone is apprehended at the border on U.S. soil, (thereby avoiding the legal points of entry) border patrol will “process” them. Most are seeking asylum at the “processing centers” along the Rio Grande River, they receive:
1. A court date
Immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, are given a Notice to Appear (NTA) court date. They are scheduled to appear in immigration court so that they can then begin to apply for asylum. This is part of the “Obama-era ‘catch and release’ immigration policy, which requires that most apprehended illegal aliens be released into the country pending their court proceedings.” No matter the county they have traveled from, all immigrants are currently assigned an asylum hearing.
Texas DPS did confirm with us that court dates are almost seven years out. In the meantime, they receive benefits such as healthcare, food stands, welfare and other public aid and do not face deportation while their case is “pending.” If they do not show up for their scheduled appointment at the date and location that was assigned years earlier, they are marked for deportation upon the next future apprehension – hence the “catch and release” slogan. There have been claims that upwards of 90% show up for their court proceedings but according to immigrationreform.com, that data is not reliable.1
The Texas senior Advisor to Governor Abbott called the 90% a flat out lie and reminded us that while waiting for their court date years in the future, the illegal aliens are considered “non-status,” a category in which they receive assistance, and they cannot be employed. Read Governor Abbott's lasted comments about the "invasion" here.
2. An Alien Notification Number is assigned with their name, country of origin, and date of birth
According to border patrol along the McAllen section of the wall, fingerprints are taken, an iris scan is completed, and a photo is snapped. We were not allowed to enter any of the locations that processed the recently arrived immigrants but did see empty busses traveling through portions of the wall to the processing centers that were set up near the river. Once processed, all individuals are driven by bus or van and dropped off at a location operated by an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization).
1 FAIR Fact-Check: Do 95 Percent of Illegal Aliens Show Up for Their Court Dates? | ImmigrationReform.com
Journey to the Border – Part 8: “NGO’s”
The NGO’s… non-governmental organizations; usually religious in nature but also not necessary. By far the largest and most talked about in Texas; Catholic Charities. As an NGO, they receive the illegal aliens after they have been proceeded by border patrol. Once they arrive at an NGO location usually located close to the border they receive:
1. Clothing - Oftentimes, immigrants use their clothing as a barrier between themselves and the sea wire, leaving some cushion for the next person. Other times, they are wet from crossing the river.
2. Food/shelter – Texas agencies explained to us how three of the major hotels located in McAllen are usually rented out completely to immigrants where they can be housed for up to 72 hours.
3. Plane or bus ticket – The illegal aliens who do not have permission to be in the U.S. are then asked about their intended destination. Once that is determined, the NGO’s arrange for the transportation. In 2021, Governor Reynolds confronted federal agencies for middle of the night transports of migrant children to Iowa with no notification. The travel of unaccompanied children to Iowa had been arranged by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Administration for Children and Families, which is in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It was pointed out to the legislators on the border trip that the NGO’s involvement in the immigration process hints at a sophisticated racketeering scheme. For every single individual they cloth, feed, house and then send on their way in 72 hours or less, the NGO is paid $4,500. The Federal Emergency Management Association, also known as FEMA, is the federal division that foots the bill.
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