Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas tells lawmakers 'the border is not open' amid migrant surge
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told lawmakers Wednesday that the US-Mexico border is secure and repeated that it is "not open," as the administration faces an ongoing influx of migrants.
His appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee comes as the Biden administration struggles to accommodate the growing number of children crossing the US-Mexico border alone against the backdrop of a pandemic that's strained resources, particularly shelter space.
Mayorkas, who is testifying on Capitol Hill for the first time since his confirmation, pushed back against characterizing the situation as a crisis.
"I will share with you how I define a crisis. A crisis is when a nation is willing to rip a 9-year-old child out of the hands of his or her parent and separate that family to deter future migration. That to me is a humanitarian crisis," Mayorkas said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-tells-lawmakers-the-border-is-not-open-amid-migrant-surge/ar-BB1eFDNK?li=BBnb7Kz