As President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas approach the conclusion of their tenure on January 20, Mayorkas' border policies remain a significant point of contention. Reports indicate that by then, approximately 1.5 million illegal migrants will have entered the U.S. through parole programs established under Mayorkas' leadership.
France’s birthrate fell to its lowest level since the end of World War I, with only 663,000 babies born in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). This marks a 2.2% decline from the previous year and the lowest recorded births since 1946. The fertility rate also dropped to 1.62 children per woman, well below the 2.1 replacement level needed to maintain population stability.
The New York Times editorial board proposed a sweeping plan to resolve America’s immigration challenges, advocating for increased legal migration while sidelining concerns of many Americans. The op-ed, titled “A Big Idea to Solve America’s Immigration Mess,” frames migrants as essential for economic growth while casting native-born Americans as a declining population incapable of meeting labor demands.
A federal judge in Vermont sentenced Luis Fernando Barragan-Palacios, 29, to 18 months in prison for smuggling nearly 100 migrants across the Canadian border into the United States. Barragan-Palacios, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, earned approximately $500,000 from the human smuggling operation over a five-month period. He is expected to be deported upon completing his sentence.
President Joe Biden, 82, claimed that illegal migration numbers “came way down” after he assumed office. However, official statistics and reports indicate otherwise, showing a sharp increase in unauthorized crossings during the first three years of his presidency.
A recent immigration enforcement operation in Kern County, California, provided a glimpse of what may become more common under anticipated changes to U.S. immigration policy. Border Patrol agents from the El Centro Sector carried out "Operation Return to Sender," targeting criminal migrants in and around Bakersfield. The three-day initiative resulted in nearly 80 arrests, including several sex offenders and individuals with warrants for weapons and drug-related charges.
U.S. Border Patrol agents and Coast Guard crews intercepted 24 Cuban migrants near Key West, Florida, last week after their makeshift boat approached U.S. shores. This incident is one of several recent interdictions highlighting the risks of maritime migration in the region.
Homeland Security and Border Patrol agents discovered a sophisticated smuggling tunnel connecting Mexico to El Paso, Texas. The tunnel, equipped with electricity and ventilation, was found during a routine inspection of a storm drain.
The discovery of 11 migrants locked inside the rear compartment of a U-Haul truck in New Mexico highlights the dangerous lengths smugglers will go to evade authorities and exploit illegal immigration.
President-elect Donald Trump is preparing a sweeping set of more than 100 executive orders to launch his administration, focusing heavily on border security, immigration enforcement, and other policy priorities.
