Biden’s DHS Releases 1K ‘Remain in Mexico’ Migrants into U.S. in Two Weeks

President Joe Biden’s administration has released more than 1,000 migrants enrolled in the now-defunct “Remain in Mexico” program into the United States interior over the last two weeks.

After taking office in January, Biden ended the Remain in Mexico policy which had proven remarkably effective in eliminating the Catch and Release program where border crossers are apprehended and subsequently released into the U.S. interior while awaiting their asylum hearings.

To date, of the more than 71,000 asylum cases under Remain in Mexico, less than one percent of foreign nationals were found to have a legitimate asylum claim.

Biden announced in February that his Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the help of the United Nations, would start releasing about 25,600 migrants enrolled in the program into the U.S. interior. Breitbart News exclusively reported weeks ago that the migrants are being released in Brownsville and El Paso, Texas, as well as San Diego, California.

Data exclusively reviewed by Breitbart News reveals between February 19 and March 4, DHS has released more than 1,000 Remain in Mexico-migrants into the U.S. interior. In the first week of releases, no more than 50 migrants were released every day.

Since February 26, the daily release of migrants in the program has shot up to anywhere between 100 to 150. DHS officials have said all are being tested for coronavirus. On average, DHS is releasing about 72 Remain in Mexico-enrolled migrants into the U.S. every day, in addition to hundreds of border crossers who do not have to undergo coronavirus tests or quarantine requirements.

The data shows that the Remain in Mexico-enrolled migrants are being paroled into the U.S. and thus can apply to receive work permits from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency.

Most of the migrants given parole thus far, 56 percent, are from Honduras and El Salvador. More than 17 percent are from Guatemala and roughly 10 percent are from Nicaragua.

Under Biden’s watch, the Catch and Release program has expanded tremendously. For example, Breitbart News exclusively reported that in the first four days of March, DHS had released at least 814 border crossers into the U.S. — none of which have to take coronavirus tests or quarantine.

Reports last week confirmed that border crossers are testing positive for the coronavirus after their release and still are not required to quarantine. In one case, a Honduran national who tested positive continued traveling to North Carolina.

At the same time, DHS officials are expecting a massive surge of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. More than 3,300 migrant youth were in DHS custody as of March 4, Breitbart News exclusively reported. Most will be released into the U.S. interior at a later date.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.