Mayorkas Dodges on Where and who 600,000 Got-Aways Are, Says They’ve Been a Challenge for all Administrations

During an interview aired on Tuesday’s edition of MSNBC’s “Jose Diaz-Balart Reports,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded to questions on whether DHS knows where and who the more than 600,000 got-aways are by stating that the Biden administration increased the number of Border Patrol agents and other border measures and “got-aways have been a challenge” in all administrations.

Host Jose Diaz-Balart asked, “Some of the criticism includes, for example, the 600,000-plus [got-aways], folks who came into this country and did not go through the process of requesting asylum. So, do you know where they are and who they are, the people that don’t get — don’t request asylum when they arrive here?”

Mayorkas responded, “So, for the first time since 2011, the president of the United States presented a budget successfully that increased the number of Border Patrol agents. For the first time, this year, we have 300 more Border Patrol agent eligibility positions than we did in the past. We are making tremendous strides. We are devoting tremendous resources to enhance our border security and we will keep at it.”

Diaz-Balart followed up, “Do you know where they are and who they are?”

Mayorkas responded, “So, got-aways have been a challenge from year to year regardless of the administration, whether it’s more than a million in the early part of this department’s administration or it’s hundreds of thousands over the ensuing years. But what we are doing is we are dedicating people, physical assets, and an increasing reliance and use of innovative technology to enhance our visibility and our interdiction capabilities.”

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