Fact Check: As president, Joe Biden allowed illegal immigrants to flood the United States

Fact Check: "As president, Joe Biden allowed illegal immigrants to flood the United States"

What We Know

Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, there has been a significant increase in encounters with illegal immigrants at the U.S. border. According to a report from the House Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded over 10.8 million encounters nationwide from Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 to FY 2024, with more than 8.72 million occurring at the Southwest border alone (source-1). In FY 2024 alone, there were nearly 3 million encounters, marking a nearly 50% increase compared to FY 2021 (source-1).

The Biden administration has implemented various policies, including the CBP One app and the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) mass-parole program, which have allowed hundreds of thousands of inadmissible aliens to enter the U.S. with limited vetting (source-1). Reports indicate that over 1.4 million inadmissible aliens have been released into the U.S. through these programs since their inception (source-1).

Analysis

The claim that President Biden allowed illegal immigrants to flood the United States is supported by substantial data indicating a dramatic rise in border encounters since he took office. The statistics provided by the House Committee on Homeland Security highlight a stark contrast between the number of encounters during the Biden administration compared to previous years (source-1).

However, it is important to consider the context of these numbers. The increase in encounters can be attributed to a variety of factors, including ongoing crises in Central America and other regions, which have driven more individuals to seek asylum in the U.S. Additionally, the Biden administration has sought to reverse many of the restrictive immigration policies of the previous administration, which may have contributed to the surge in encounters as migrants felt more encouraged to attempt crossing the border (source-6).

The sources used to support this claim, particularly the House Committee report, may exhibit political bias, as they are produced by a Republican-led committee. This could influence the framing of the data and the interpretation of the Biden administration's policies (source-1). Other sources, such as the Migration Policy Institute, provide a more nuanced view of the Biden administration's immigration policies, suggesting that while there have been record levels of encounters, the situation is complex and influenced by broader socio-political factors (source-7).

Conclusion

The claim that President Joe Biden allowed illegal immigrants to flood the United States is Partially True. While there is clear evidence of increased border encounters and the implementation of policies that have facilitated the entry of inadmissible aliens, the context of these developments is crucial. The surge in encounters is influenced by various external factors, and the Biden administration's approach to immigration is part of a broader, more complex landscape. Thus, while the data supports the claim of increased illegal immigration, it does not fully account for the myriad reasons behind this trend.

Sources

1. Fiscal Year 2024 Ends With Nearly 3 Million Inadmissible ...
2. PDF Biden'S Border Crisis: Examining Policies That Encourage Illegal Migrati
3. Immigration policy of the Joe Biden administration - Wikipedia
4. How Joe Biden and Donald Trump's border policies compare
5. Key facts about U.S. immigration policies and Biden's proposed changes
6. Biden's Mixed Immigration Legacy: Border Challenges ...
7. Biden at the Three-Year Mark: The Most Active Immigration Presidency ...