Mexico refuses to pick up some migrant children rejected at the border: Biden

US President Joe Biden responded to criticism Thursday that his policies were leading to a spike in the arrival of immigrants to the Mexican border, and He argued the increase is seasonal and also occurred during Donald Trump’s tenure.

“We are negotiating with the President of Mexico, I think we will see a change, all (undocumented migrants) should be able to be sent back”Biden said at the first daily press conference of his tenure.

At a White House press conference, Biden said the vast majority of immigrants who arriving at the southern border are returned and some immigrant families are not returned because Mexico refuses to receive them.

The Democratic president also maintained that his government was in talks with Mexico on the issue of immigration.

Regarding the migration crisis facing the country due to the arrival of minors, the president said that “Nothing has changed” at the border with Mexico.

According to him, the increase in immigration and minors arriving alone “It happens every year.”

Biden this week appointed his vice president, Kamala Harris, as head of the mission to stop irregular migration from Central America and coordinate with El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to tackle the problems of violence and corruption that push their citizens to flee north.

Irregular migration from Central America to the United States has increased in recent months and the reception system has collapsed, prompting criticism of its administration.

Much of the criticism has focused on the plight of minors who have crossed the border in recent weeks and who have had to stay longer than the law allows in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities designed for adults, not children or adolescents.

According to government sources cited by the media, the CBP has around 5,000 minors in its custody, while the shelters of the The Ministry of Health currently accommodates around 15,000 children and adolescents who have crossed the border without the company of their parents or a legal guardian.

However, the president Joe Biden on Thursday defended his policy of providing shelter to unaccompanied children crossing the US border from Mexico, during a press conference where he was repeatedly pressured for his handling of immigration issues.

Biden also set a new goal of inject 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine into the United States in its first 100 days in the office and underlined the economic progress by delivering his first press conference since taking office.

Struggling to contain an increase in border crossings, Biden told reporters that no previous government had refused to provide care and shelter for children coming from Mexicoexcept that of his predecessor, Donald Trump.

“I’m not going to do it,” Biden said., and noted that he had chosen Vice President Kamala Harris to lead diplomatic efforts with Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador aimed at curbing the migratory flow.

Appearing in the East Room of the White House, Biden said his initial goal of administering 100 million vaccines in his first 100 days in office was reached last week, 42 ​​days ahead of schedule.

“I know it’s ambitious, twice our original target, but no other country in the world has even come close.”Biden said.

Biden said the May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan will be difficult to meet. “It will be difficult to meet the May 1 deadline,” he said. But he added: “We won’t be staying long.” in Afghanistan, site of America’s longest war.

He also underlined the economic progress by announcing that the number of people applying for unemployment assistance has dropped considerably.

“There are still too many Americans out of work, too many families suffering, and there is still a lot of work to be done. But I can tell the American people: Help is here and hope is on the way.“, He said.

Biden called on Republicans in the U.S. Congress to help him move his agenda forward, while tackling issues such as gun control, climate change and immigration reform.

“All I know is that I was hired to solve problems, not to create divisions”, He said.

Biden has repeatedly come under pressure to defend his immigration policy along the United States’ border with Mexico.

The president said the increase in migration is cyclical.

“It happens every year. There is a significant increase in the number of people arriving at the border during the winter months, ”he said. “It happens every year.”

He said many migrants were fleeing problems in their home countries and accused Trump of dismantling parts of the US immigration system.

Most of Biden’s predecessors had celebrated their first press conference during his first two months in office, But the Democratic incumbent had so far answered few questions.

EFE

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