Border Patrol and ICE agents are reportedly frustrated over the Biden administration’s decision to publicize a law enforcement operation targeting illegal “gotaways” and “evaders” camping out in the streets of El Paso, Texas. Monday night, in response to the massive surge of illegal border crossers, federal authorities announced a “targeted enforcement operation” in the border town, where thousands of migrants are camped out along the sidewalks.
On Tuesday, agents will “process individuals for vetting and placement into Title 42 expulsion or Title 8 removal proceedings, as applicable,” Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a press release. Those deemed to be a national security or public safety threat will be moved to ICE for detention, the release added.
The press release stressed that law enforcement will not take action “in or near a location that would restrain people’s access to essential services or engagement in essential activities to the fullest extent possible.”
Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported on Twitter that he has heard from many “frustrated Border Patrol and ICE contacts” who are shocked that officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CBP would disclose this information in a press release, losing the “element of surprise.”
The heads up, they feared, would prompt any national security threats to clear out before law enforcement could identify them.
“From a strategic standpoint, it is puzzling that DHS would announce this publicly via a press release which essentially gives these evaders/gotaways a heads up that they are coming,” Melugin wrote on Twitter. “Already hearing from frustrated Border Patrol agents saying the operation will now be worthless.”
This is what DHS/CBP sent out to the media tonight. Doesn’t leave much to imagination, pic.twitter.com/AhCjmlAqRo
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 9, 2023
Melugin said agents told him authorities are supposed to “announce the RESULTS of an enforcement operation in a press release, not the PLAN.” The reporter added Tuesday: “Our team on the ground in El Paso tell me much of the migrant population cleared out before the operation this morning, after the press release went out.”
The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) called the Biden administration’s move a “sad joke” in a tweet late Monday.
“Nothing like publicly announcing that dangerous people will be arrested, while warning them ahead of time exactly where to run and hide to avoid arrest,” the Border Patrol Union wrote in response to the Biden administration’s press release. “This entire operation is a sad joke – another pandering PR stunt. Serious law enforcement leaders don’t behave this way.”
About 2,200 migrants are currently living in the streets of El Paso, just a few blocks from a major port of entry, according to Fox News.
Reporting in El Paso on the humanitarian crisis as over 2000 migrants, including children are sleeping on streets of downtown El Paso and officials expect those numbers to skyrocket once Title 42 expires on May 11 @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/AijSB7FzsA
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) May 8, 2023
Tuesday morning, law enforcement officials reportedly handed out pamphlets to the illegal alien campers in El Paso, urging them to turn themselves in to Border Patrol. The migrants told Melugin they they had no intention of turning themselves in.
Another woman tells us she was sleeping and was also woken up early and given the pamphlet. She says she has concerns that if she turns herself in, she will get deported or sent back to Mexico. pic.twitter.com/6IPh8YBVFq
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 9, 2023
According to News Nation reporter Jorge Ventura, migrants who evaded Border Patrol will be eligible to stay in a temporary shelter if they turn themselves in to be processed.
Federal officials early this morning passed along pamphlets to migrants at Sacred Heart Church saying for migrants who have evaded border patrol , to turn themselves in for processing. Migrants tell me they are hesitant to do so. @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/8LPqeTpTFs
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) May 9, 2023
Fox News reported on Tuesday that according to “multiple sources,” the Biden regime plans to direct all Border Patrol sectors to begin “safe” mass releases of illegal aliens onto city streets when non-governmental organizations reach full capacity.
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) May 9, 2023
In the past 72 hours, there have been 26,000 apprehensions on the border and over 7,000 “gotaways,” according to official statistics. Officials anticipate an additional surge when Title 42 expires on May 11.
The consequence of this decision is that migrants will be mass released at bus stops, gas stations, supermarkets and in towns and cities across the border as Customs and Border Protection facilities are already over capacity in multiple sectors, according to CBP sources who were not authorized to speak publicly.
“The dam is about to break,” a Border Patrol source told Fox.
According to longtime war correspondent Michael Yon, many of the migrants passing through the Darien Gap in Panama, are carrying serious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and tuberculosis. Yon reports that the vast majority of illegal border crossers are military aged males and about ten percent of them lately are Chinese, who are “coming through as teams.”
“Nobody knows how many have tuberculosis, are rapists, spies, mass murderers, or are coming to hit targets in USA,” he tweeted on Monday.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday the state is deploying “a new Texas Tactical Border Force” to repel illegal crossings at border hotspots.
“These elite soldiers will fill in the gaps in preparation for Title 42 ending this week,” Abbott said. The governor also said the state was adding razor wire along hot spots on the border to block illegal border crossers.
We’re deploying the new Texas Tactical Border Force to border hotspots to repel illegal crossings.
These elite soldiers will fill in the gaps in preparation for Title 42 ending this week.
In Biden's absence, Texas continues taking unprecedented action to respond to this crisis. pic.twitter.com/Mgam014GCM
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 8, 2023
This is one thing Texas is doing to secure the border.
This is the area near Brownsville where migrants were crossing in large numbers a few days ago.
We now have it wired shut.
Other areas will surface for crossing.
We will wire them shut also.
More to come. pic.twitter.com/Otk7dN0lnf
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 9, 2023
Unfortunately, portions of the razor wire were quickly cut open to allow illegals to pass through, photos taken by Getty images showed on Tuesday.
