Republicans condemn ‘mass release scheme’ as Mexico busses migrants to US border

Republicans condemned the Biden-Harris administration for what they called a “mass release scheme” after Mexico announced plans to bus migrants to the U.S. border for immigration appointments.

Rep. Mark Green has criticized the administration for implementing CBP One appointments, which migrants can book through an app, and has slammed Mexico for offering bus rides.

He told Newsweek That ““The decision to double and expand access to the abusive CBP mass release system runs counter to proper enforcement of immigration law.”

The Mexican government announced Saturday that the country will provide a safe corridor for non-Mexican migrants who have received asylum applications in the United States.

According to the National Immigration Institute, the buses leave from the southern cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula.

It appeared to be an attempt to make applying for asylum from southern Mexico more attractive to migrants who would otherwise head north to Mexico City or the border.

“The Biden-Harris administration’s decision to double down and expand access to its abusive CBP mass release scheme is antithetical to healthy immigration enforcement,” Green said in a statement to Newsweek.

“It is clear that even Mexico knows that this expansion will increase the number of otherwise inadmissible aliens traveling to our southwest border, hoping to be released into the U.S. with minimal screening.

“The CBP One shell game is about preserving optics, not border enforcement. The Biden-Harris administration deliberately created this crisis, and instead of returning to policies that would end it, it is embracing policies that perpetuate it.”

However, Democrats say migrants are at risk from drug cartels as they wait for an appointment.

Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva told the Newsweek that migrants have the “right” to seek asylum.

“It is the right of migrants to seek asylum at our border. Too many face danger, kidnapping, extortion and long waits because of the flawed CBP One appointment system.

“While anyone seeking asylum should be able to do so from the safety and security of the United States, I am grateful that Mexico has stepped in to fill the security gap and allowed asylum seekers to schedule their own appointment.

“It is essential that we continue to work together to ensure the safety of asylum seekers, increase the number of appointments and accessibility of CBP One, and provide migrants with the respect and security they deserve.”

This comes a week after the US government expanded access to the CBP One application to southern Mexico.

Access to the app, which allows asylum seekers to register and wait for an appointment, has so far been limited to central and northern Mexico.

The Mexican government wants more migrants to wait in southern Mexico, further from the US border, to ease the pressure on both countries.

Migrants commonly complain that there is little work available in southern Mexico, while the waiting time can sometimes last months.

However, the plans provide a safe route to the southern border and could even encourage migrants to use the CBP One app to make appointments rather than trying to enter the U.S. illegally.

Daniel Berlin, director of Protection Pathways at the International Rescue Committee, said Newsweek The federal government should increase the daily number of CBP One appointments.

“We are pleased with the U.S. government’s announcement that people in southern Mexico will soon be able to make CBP One appointments from the states of Tabasco and Chiapas without having to travel north.

“However, we also call on the U.S. to expand the daily number of CBP One appointments and processing capacity at border crossings to provide asylum access, while the asylum ban regulations and executive order otherwise limit refugee protections at the U.S. southern border.”

The app has been criticized for technical glitches and in July, it was hit by Microsoft’s global outage.

Humanitarian organizations say the app violates international human rights and refugee law.

Mary Kapron, a researcher for Amnesty International, previously said Newsweek:The mandatory use of CBP One drastically limits access to asylum, in violation of international human rights and refugee law.

“People seeking asylum experience challenges using the CBP One application due to a cumbersome registration process, technical errors and glitches, and a lack of knowledge about the application and how it works.”

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