Summary: The following report provides a comprehensive overview of the infiltration of U.S. borders by unlawful foreign nationals, highlighting the exploitation of a covert immigration program and its implications. It also discusses recent developments regarding the protection status of certain illegal immigrants.
I. Infiltration Through Unconventional Means: The Center for Immigration Studies has unearthed a clandestine method of entry into the United States that bypasses the traditional southern and northern border routes. In the past year, a staggering 221,456 individuals hailing from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua have exploited a covert program named "CBP One." This program facilitates the entry of inadmissible aliens through direct commercial flights into U.S. airports within the nation's interior. This unexpected revelation underscores the adaptability and resourcefulness of those seeking unlawful entry.
II. The CBP One Mobile App: The "CBP One" mobile application, as discovered through a Freedom of Information Act request, allows inadmissible aliens to schedule appointments for direct flights to U.S. airports within the interior, effectively circumventing traditional border enforcement. The application was introduced by the Biden administration, ostensibly as a means of providing "lawful pathways" for illegal aliens to seek asylum within the United States, leading to a noticeable decline in illegal border crossings at southern ports of entry.
III. Covert Flight Routes: One of the most discreet and potentially contentious aspects of the CBP One program involves permitting migrants to board commercial passenger flights from foreign countries directly to U.S. cities of their choosing, even bypassing not only the border but also the entirety of Mexico. This rechanneling program operates with minimal public awareness, allowing Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Colombians to obtain "advance travel authorizations" through the CBP One app. Upon arrival at U.S. airports, Customs officers grant parole to these individuals without physical inspection or publicly disclosed statistics.
IV. Extensive Approvals: Documents acquired by the Center for Immigration Studies reveal that between late October 2022 and mid-September 2023, the Biden administration approved 221,456 Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans for "travel mode: air," directing them to unspecified interior U.S. ports. Of note, these illegal aliens are responsible for covering the costs of their own flights into the United States.
V. Border Security and Protected Status: These revelations occur against the backdrop of heightened encounters between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and illegal immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, approaching record levels. The Biden administration has granted "temporary protected status" to a substantial number of migrants from Venezuela, shielding them from deportation if they were in the United States unlawfully prior to July 31. This policy also streamlines the process for obtaining U.S. work permits.
VI. Homeland Security Statement: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has articulated the rationale behind this protection measure, citing the unsafe conditions in Venezuela as the driving force. Nevertheless, Mayorkas emphasized that those arriving after July 31, 2023, would not be eligible for such protection and would face deportation if found to lack a legal basis for remaining in the United States.
VII. Ongoing Border Encounters: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has recorded more than 460,000 encounters with illegal aliens from Venezuela since President Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021.
Assessment: This report sheds light on a covert immigration program that has allowed a substantial number of individuals to unlawfully enter the United States, circumventing traditional border routes. The discovery of the "CBP One" mobile application and its associated rechanneling initiatives underscores the adaptability and resourcefulness of those seeking entry into the U.S. While the Biden administration's introduction of this program was framed as an effort to provide lawful pathways for asylum seekers, it has also raised questions about the effectiveness of border security measures and the potential for misuse. The report highlights the extensive approvals granted to individuals from specific countries and the ongoing challenges faced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The granting of "temporary protected status" to Venezuelan migrants has broader implications for immigration policy and enforcement.