The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) attempt to tout the Biden administration’s efforts to “remove foreign nationals” was met with a blunt fact-check by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin.
“ICE and @DHSgov remove foreign nationals – according to U.S. law – who lack a lawful basis to stay in the United States. This policy applies to all noncitizens regardless of nationality,” the federal agency noted in a post on X, linking to a Homeland Security page on border security laws.
The site claimed the government “returned to fully enforcing Title 8 immigration authorities to expeditiously process and remove individuals who arrive at the U.S. border unlawfully” after the lifting of the CDC’s Title 42 public health order, an emergency order issued in March 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when Donald Trump was president.
According to the DHS, the law has “steep consequences for unlawful entry or irregular entry, including at least a five-year bar on admission and potential criminal prosecution for repeat violators.”
“Enforcement of immigration laws under Title 8 is expected to reduce the number of repeat border crossings over time, which increased significantly under the Title 42 public health Order, since it did not allow for legal consequences,” the page claimed.
But Melugin doused the assertion with a reality check.
“Only 142,580 deportations in all of FY’2023. More than double that just came across the southern border in the month of December alone,” he wrote on X.
“Deportation numbers are a drop in the bucket, do not match up with promises of consequences, & the non detained docket is now 6 million +, nearly doubling under Biden,” the Fox News reporter added.
Only 142,580 deportations in all of FY’2023. More than double that just came across the southern border in the month of December alone.
Deportation numbers are a drop in the bucket, do not match up with promises of consequences, & the non detained docket is now 6 million +,… https://t.co/PMPHMikpmr
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 4, 2024
Sources with Customs and Border Protection told Fox News Digital that more than 302,000 migrants attempted to illegally cross the U.S. southern border in December alone.
“It is the highest total for a single month ever recorded. It is also the first time migrant encounters have exceeded 300,000,” Fox News noted.
And Melugin contended that the government’s “removal numbers speak for themselves” in a follow-up post on X.
“The Biden admin has 3-4x as many people crossing the border depending on the year, yet they are deporting far less numbers than Trump was, who had significantly less illegal crossings,” he wrote, adding an image of ICE’s final report on Fiscal Year 2023.
The removal numbers speak for themselves. The Biden admin has 3-4x as many people crossing the border depending on the year, yet they are deporting far less numbers than Trump was, who had significantly less illegal crossings. This graphic is from ICE’s FY2023 final report. pic.twitter.com/1gonYX8NPs
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 4, 2024
Migrants are frequently coached on what to say to begin the process of applying for asylum though the “overwhelming majority” don’t qualify, as Melugin noted back in December.
In the tweet below, the reporter addressed what he called “the mass asylum fraud taking place at the border.”
There has been little acknowledgment of the mass asylum fraud taking place at the border. You’ll find discarded & torn up documents all over the ground, including MX humanitarian visas used to get to the border, mixed in w/ cartel wristbands. The migrants will tell you – on… pic.twitter.com/qqIQufWXhh
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) December 14, 2023
The claims by ICE and Melugin’s reality check prompted heated responses on the social media platform.
The math is not adding up! They need to step up the game and make those promises stick. 6 million+ non-detained? That’s a lot of backlog to tackle!
— Engr. Usama Zafar (@ChUsama86120) January 4, 2024
12,000,000 / 142,580 = 84 years at a minimum to remove all these illegal aliens. We are being invaded.
— Tommy Feeley (@dhsiceman) January 4, 2024
They all lie with ease.
We knew that when Title 42 ended & they PROMISED stronger punishments & more deportations for illegal entries, it was a lie .
Now you have Hobbs demanding all POE be opened immediately !
I knew her concern was a fake from the beginning .
Liars all !!— Denny Green (@DennyGr28530407) January 4, 2024
I’m shocked anyone was deported at all
— racheltheone (@TerryWe80134890) January 4, 2024
— J Smith (@TrumpJeanie) January 4, 2024
Spokesmouth JPK said 500k deportations. The lies run out of her mouth as smooth as butter. Any number that doesn’t approach the 6 million illegals that Biden allowed to enter the country unvetted is just nonsense talk.
— Lou 1776 #MAGA American (@NJGirl4Tay) January 4, 2024
Gee, it’s almost as if it’s on purpose. It’s almost as if it’s treason.
— Material1901 (@material1928435) January 4, 2024
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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