Policy Gap: Migrant evades deportation in Mexico
Just 14 hours after President Joe Biden suspended asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border this week, Gerardo Henao was arrested by Border Patrol. However, instead of facing immediate deportation, Henao was released the next day at a San Diego bus stop, allowing him to catch a train to the airport for a flight to Newark, New Jersey.
Henao, a former jewelry business owner from Medellin, Colombia, fled his country due to constant extortion attempts. His release highlights a significant gap in the new policy enforcement: a scarcity of deportation flights to certain countries.
The Biden administration’s measure, which began on Wednesday, includes exceptions for “operational considerations.” This term acknowledges the logistical, diplomatic, and financial challenges that prevent the government from deporting all individuals subject to the new policy, particularly those from South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The lack of deportation resources has emerged as a critical obstacle, revealing the complexities and limitations in executing the sweeping policy on a large scale.
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