President Biden signaled Tuesday that his administration will handle the scenario on the southern border, the place an estimated 15,000 Haitian migrants fleeing catastrophe have traveled in search of asylum.
“We’ll get it beneath management,” Biden informed reporters throughout his go to to the United Nations when he was requested about photographs from the border which have prompted outrage in latest days.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki additionally informed reporters on Tuesday that Biden was briefed in regards to the emergency on the Del Rio bridge, the place migrants have arrange encampments. She mentioned the president has additionally been briefed on what she referred to as “horrific” footage and photographs of the therapy of Haitian migrants by border patrol brokers, which has prompted an inside investigation by the Division of Homeland Safety.
“[The president] believes that the footage, the footage and the photographs, are horrific. They do not signify who we’re as a rustic, and he was happy to see the announcement of the investigation. He definitely helps that,” she mentioned. “And clearly, there will be a dedication made on subsequent steps as soon as that concludes.”
Images and movies emerged this week from journalists and others documenting occasions on the Del Rio bridge of U.S. Border Patrol brokers on horseback chasing Haitian migrants, together with one holding what seemed to be a whip.
Testifying earlier than the Senate Homeland Safety Committee on Tuesday, DHS secretary Alejandro Mayorkas mentioned he been “horrified to see the photographs.” “We don’t tolerate any mistreatment or abuse of a migrant, interval,” he added. Mayorkas on Monday advised the agent was holding lengthy reins, not a whip. Reuters reported that some witnesses described brokers as holding lariats.
This previous week, DHS additionally launched an announcement detailing its technique to handle the border upheaval, together with putting an extra 400 brokers and officers within the Del Rio sector, relocating migrants from the area to different processing areas and dealing nations within the area to simply accept migrants, amongst different actions.
Final week, NBC Information reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to ramp up deportation flights to Haiti. ICE plans to fly eight deportation flights to Haiti and can then enhance that quantity to 10 per week.
