Department of Homeland Security officials are warning about the impact of policies being discussed in negotiations between the White House and Congress that would increase deportations, deny many migrants the right to seek asylum and make detention mandatory, according to current and former officials who spoke to NBC News.
“It would break the border,” one current Homeland Security official predicted.
“It would be completely counterproductive,” another warned.
The second official noted that Customs and Border Protection detention centers, as well as those of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would quickly become so full that the agencies would be unable to keep apprehending migrants as they crossed the southern border.
“Border Patrol would essentially have to take a knee and watch them walk by,” the second official said.
Currently, Customs and Border Protection holds migrants for less than 72 hours, screens them for national security risks and releases most of those who are not considered high risk without sending them to ICE detention.
If a new bill mandates that all undocumented migrants be held in ICE detention, even those not considered a security risk, CBP and Border Patrol could have no place to temporarily detain or process new arrivals, the officials fear.
No deal has been agreed to by Congress and the White House, and one source said Homeland Security would be a part of any conversation about the logistics of detaining more migrants.
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are also raising concerns.
“I’m deeply disappointed that the Administration has caved to inhumane policy changes to our asylum system and immigration policy without input from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,” said Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico who represents a a border district. “Senate and House Republicans are trying to circumvent the legislative process to enact their draconian immigration policies in exchange for critical…
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