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Customs & Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost testified to Congress today: "With no consequences to crossing the border illegally the flow of family units across our SW border is unprecedented...
2/ "... In the first 4 months of fiscal year 19 family unit apprehensions along the SW border are 290 percent higher than the same period last year. For the first time in our history family units and unaccompanied alien children make up 60% of SW border apprehensions...
3/ "...We are also seeing a dangerous new trend – families and unaccompanied children are crossing in large groups ranging from 100 to nearly 350 people. 68 groups so far this year compared to only 13 last year and 2 the year before...”
4/ "...The gaps created by layers of outdated laws and judicial rulings related to the treatment of minors are a significant pull factor for this population.”
5/ CBP's point is that the border security infrastructure was built more than a decade ago when those crossing were largely single adult males. Housing for them doesn't work for families.
The 2015 ruling on Flores is relevant here...
cnn.com/2018/07/10/pol…
The 2015 ruling on Flores is relevant here...
cnn.com/2018/07/10/pol…
6/ Bottom line, per CBP: there isn't enough housing for all the families coming, so they're released into the general population, which the US Govt says creates incentives for more families in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras to attempt what can be a dangerous journey.
