Republicans condemned the Biden-Harris administration over what they claimed is a “mass parole scheme”, after Mexico announced plans to bus migrants to the U.S. border for immigration appointments.
Rep. Mark Green has criticized the government over the rollout of CBP One appointments, which migrants can book using an app, and hit out at Mexico for offering bus rides.
He told Newsweek that *"*the decision to double down and expand access to its unlawful CBP one mass-parole scheme is the opposite of sound immigration enforcement.”
Mexico’s government announced on Saturday the country will offer a safe corridor for non-Mexican migrants who have received a United States asylum appointment.
The buses will reportedly leave from the southern cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula, according to the National Immigration Institute.
It appeared to be an attempt to make applying for asylum appointments from southern Mexico more appealing to migrants who otherwise would push north to Mexico City or the border.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s decision to double down and expand access to its unlawful CBP one mass-parole scheme is the opposite of sound immigration enforcement,” Green said in a statement to Newsweek.
“It is clear even Mexico knows this expansion will increase the number of otherwise inadmissible aliens traveling to our Southwest border in the hopes of being released, with minimal vetting, into the U.S.
“The CBP One shell game is all about preserving optics—not border enforcement. The Biden-Harris administration intentionally created this crisis, and instead of returning to policies that would end it, it is embracing ones to perpetuate it.”
However, Democrats said that migrants face danger from cartels while waiting for an appointment.
Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva told Newsweek that migrants have a “right” to seek asylum.
“It’s the right of migrants to seek asylum at our border. Too many face danger, kidnapping, extortion, and lengthy waiting periods as a result of the faulty CBP One appointment system.
“While all seeking asylum should be able to do so from the safety and security of the United States, I’m grateful that Mexico has stepped up to fill in a security void and given asylum seekers the ability to make their appointments.
“It’s vital that we continue to work together to ensure the safety of asylum seekers, increase CBP One appointments and accessibility, and give migrants the respect and certainty they deserve.”
Access to the app, which allows asylum seekers to register and await an appointment, had previously been restricted to central and northern Mexico.
The Mexican government wants more migrants to wait in southern Mexico farther from the U.S. border to alleviate pressure on both countries.
Migrants typically complain there is little work available in southern Mexico for a wait that can last months.
However, the plans provide a safe route to the southern border and may even encourage migrants to use the CBP One app to book appointments instead of attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully.
Daniel Berlin, Director for Protection Pathways at the International Rescue Committee, told Newsweek the federal government should expand on the daily number of CBP One appointments.
“We welcome the US government’s announcement to soon allow people in Southern Mexico to be able to make CBP One appointments from the states of Tabasco and Chiapas without having to travel north to do so.
“However, we also call for the US to expand the daily number of CBP One appointments and processing capacity at ports of entry to provide asylum access while the asylum ban rule and executive order otherwise limit refugee protections at the US southern border.”
The app has been criticized over technical glitches and in July was impacted by the global Microsoft outage.
Humanitarian groups have argue dthat the app violates international human rights and refugee law.
Mary Kapron, researcher for Amnesty International, previously told 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 an onerous registration process, technological errors and flaws, and lack of knowledge about the application and how it works.”