exclusive: Tennessee lawmakers are hitting back at the Biden administration, saying the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not allow migrants to enter the U.S. after cities in the state were sent notices warning of migrant incursions. He said there was a lack of transparency regarding the release of migrants. They said they were on their way there.
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) has released Department of Homeland Security notifications local officials across the state receive showing how many migrants are believed to be on their way each week.
The notice, called “Destination of Noncitizens Processed at the Southwest Border,” states that Customs and Border Protection checks migrants’ biographical and biometric information against numerous databases before releasing them into the interior. It explains how to do the inspection.
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Sen. Bill Hagerty is calling on local authorities to provide any notices they receive. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to the notice, arrivals include immigrants who entered the country legally through a port of entry using the CBP One app, or immigrants who entered the country illegally between ports of entry and passed a “credible fear” screening or removal process. This may include immigrants who were registered and released. Their removal hearings are pending.
DHS will not transport adult migrants directly into the interior, but the notice says migrants will tell authorities their destination before being released. Once immigrants are released, they may be enrolled in the Alternative to Detention System, but they are free to travel as needed and federal authorities have no say in where they go.
In a notice given to Tennessee authorities and provided to Fox News Digital, authorities in Nashville, Davidson, Murfreesboro and Franklin were told that 573 non-citizens were arrested for the week ending September 16, 2023. They said they offered their area as a destination.
Of those, 200 were from Guatemala, 200 from Venezuela, and 100 from Honduras and Mexico.
Hagerty accused the administration of a lack of transparency in response to widespread requests for information from members of Congress about how many migrants are going to which areas.
“Americans know that under President Biden, every town is a border town. Along with many other members of Congress and concerned citizens, I have worked for three years to support the Biden administration through legislation and oversight investigations. “We have sought transparency regarding resettlement efforts” – to no avail,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The revelation of a letter detailing exactly how many migrants were being resettled in a given area in a given week shows that the Biden administration knew this information and was simply hiding it. It was revealed.”
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“This begs questions that demand answers: How many immigrants did Biden’s Department of Homeland Security knowingly resettle in American towns? How were these immigrants vetted? Are they in the United States? Do they pose a threat to the public? Americans and local governments are being forced to deal with American influence.” It’s worth knowing that. ”
In response, Mr. Hagerty said, Website setup The authorities can submit the letters they receive.
Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande River into the United States from Mexico line up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Eagle Pass, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
DHS emphasized that while it does not coordinate migrants’ travel, it does coordinate and share information with local officials and NGOs about travel destinations. Therefore, the purpose of the notification was to inform authorities that a non-national was planning to travel to the area.
“DHS does not transfer noncitizens to Tennessee. DHS works closely with local authorities, law enforcement, and NGOs to test, test, and hold noncitizens under conditions pending the outcome of immigration court proceedings. We share timely information regarding noncitizens released from custody,” a spokesperson told FOX News Digital.
“We continue to work with communities hosting recently arrived noncitizens to identify ways to maximize continued support while enforcing the law and repatriating or expelling noncitizens who have no legal basis to remain in the country. I will continue to do so.”
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The agency said communication can help migrants connect with humanitarian assistance, receive transportation assistance and move forward with the resettlement process.
The notice highlights ongoing issues and tensions related to the release of migrants into the interior. The Biden administration has said more funding is needed, including money for relocation and detention space, as well as money for cities and NGOs hosting migrants. The administration is asking Congress to pass immigration reform and approve additional funding, including the bipartisan Senate border bill and DHS’s latest budget request.
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But Republicans argue that the border crisis was caused by the Biden administration’s policies, including a reversal of the Trump administration’s policies. They are calling for an end to “catch and release,” the construction of more walls, and increased enforcement indoors.
Last week, Customs and Border Protection announced a new record for migrant encounters in February, with more than 189,000 migrant encounters for the month.
