DHS Chief Urge Volunteers To Help At Southern Border Amid “Overwhelming” Migrant Surge

After repeatedly denying the brewing crisis at the US-Mexico border, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas, has asked the agency’s staff to “volunteer” to help manage  — what he now describe as an “overwhelming” number of migrants seeking to enter the United States.

Mayorkas’ remark, came as the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden, scrambles to deal with the escalating border crisis after earlier moving to relax immigration policies in a bid to overturn the tough Trump-era policies at the border.

“Today, I activated the Volunteer Force to support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as they face a surge in migration along the Southwest Border,” the DHS Secretary reportedly said in an email.

“You have likely seen the news about the overwhelming numbers of migrants seeking access to this country along the Southwest Border,” he added. 

“President Biden and I are committed to ensuring our Nation has a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system while continuing to balance all of the other critical DHS missions,” he added.

The Volunteer Force will be used in a “non-law enforcement” capacity according to reports — with tasks including meal preparations, doing supply runs, managing border facilities, doing medicine runs, and housekeeping, among others.

In explaining the move, DHS’ Mayorkas said the task force has also been activated during the 2019 border crisis under the administration of former president Donald Trump .

“The force will help with the ‘overwhelming numbers of migrants seeking asylum’ along the southwest border,” the DHS Secretary said in the internal memo — showing a stark difference in his tone last week when he denied there is a crisis at the border and called the spike in immigration numbers a “challenge.” 

“In 2019, over 900 volunteers deployed to support their CBP colleagues during a similar migration surge. Please consider joining the Volunteer Force to again provide needed humanitarian support along the Southwest Border and relief for our CBP colleagues,” a portion of Mayorkas email said.

Like Mayorkas, President Biden earlier maintained that “there is no crisis” at the US-Mexico border despite the surge of thousands of asylum seekers in the country’s borders. In January alone, reports said 6,000 migrants aged 16 and 17 were caught entering illegally.

As part of efforts to reverse Trump’s policies, Biden has already earlier reinstated the Obama-eras’ “catch-and-release” program — releasing families into the country’s communities. 

Biden’s posturing of “open borders” was earlier cited among the major reasons for the surge of migrants at the southern border.

“I think that the the answer is no. I think there is a challenge at the border that we are managing, and we have our resources dedicated to managing it,” Mayorkas said a week ago.

Meanwhile, as Mayorkas announced the Volunteer Force, Republican lawmakers pounced on the DHS Secretary after earlier denying the situation at the border, only to take it back later on.

“Just one week ago, Biden’s DHS Secretary said there was ‘no’ crisis at the border,” Texas Senator Ted Cruz said.

“But the DHS Secretary says there is no border crisis!” another user wrote.

“Republicans want a briefing after DHS chief claims ‘no’ border crisis,” The New York Times wrote.

“Just last week @SecMayorkas claimed that there was “no” crisis at the border.This week he wants help for the “overwhelming” migrant surge.”

Senator Lindsey Graham also issued a lengthy reaction to the Volunteer Force.

“With all due respect to Secretary Mayorkas, you’re missing a lot. I just got back from the border. People are very worried about losing control of the border because of the Biden Administration’s decision to cancel the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy regarding asylum,” the South Carolina senator said.

“Word is out all over Central America that the old way of doing business is now back in place. Very much a crisis at our border,” he added.

Steeve Strange

Steeve is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Scoop.