A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights that during the Biden administration, nearly 90% of migrants arriving at the southern border were paroled into the United States. This was overseen by then-Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.
The GAO’s findings reveal how Biden and Mayorkas enacted a large-scale catch-and-release policy at the U.S.-Mexico border from early 2021 until January 20, 2025. It points out that the government’s parole authority was underutilized before this period.
According to the report, the introduction of “humanitarian parole” significantly expanded the scope of the executive branch’s parole powers.
The GAO report states, “Specifically, our analysis found that the number of paroles granted by OFO and the Border Patrol in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 was relatively low.”
Throughout this time, the rate of parole encounters at the Southwest border varied from about 3 percent to 28 percent. The number of paroles granted surged from the summer of 2021, reaching a peak of 89% in December 2022. Following December 2022, the number of paroles granted significantly declined, particularly after January 2025.
The GAO report also indicates that the extensive parole system has overwhelmed the immigration enforcement framework, making it difficult for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to track paroled individuals.
“…Due to the lack of readily available information about the parole status of noncitizens, ICE cannot effectively identify, monitor, or take necessary enforcement actions,” the report indicates.
While the Biden administration has ended, some prominent figures in immigration policy are urging elected Democrats to consider reinstating similar border policies if they regain control in future elections.
Claire Trickler McNulty, a former DHS official during Biden’s term who previously worked under both Obama and Trump, has gained attention recently for her new podcast. In her time in office, she aimed to establish a system resembling European checkpoints, where undocumented immigrants would check in regularly with ICE, mostly through electronic means.
In 2023, Tom Homan warned that Trickler-McNulty was focused on closing detention centers, advocating for the release of many undocumented immigrants into Alternative Detention Programs.
“Trickler McNulty embodies the worst kind of bureaucrat,” Homan expressed.
Her approach, aligning with a progressive agenda, proposes “immigrant probation,” allowing judges to place individuals into a two-year compliance program. If they demonstrate willingness to cooperate with authorities, they could address immigration violations and potentially achieve legal status.
