The deadlock of immigrants at the border continued unabated this week, as the Biden administration faced criticism and backlash for the detention of migrants looking to cross the border into the US.
This led to a group of bipartisan senators meeting on March 24, 2021 to discuss immigration reform, in hopes of reaching a compromise on Biden’s platform to pursue comprehensive immigration reform. The meeting was convened by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, and was the first time this year, and during the congregation of this congress where both parties met in the same room to discuss the issues. No resolutions have yet taken place.
The following day, on March 24, 2021, a pro-immigration rights group called CHIRILA and FIRM Action Network launched a national rally called the Relay Across America, with the goal of showing support for immigrants outside Republican offices.
The current immigration crisis continues, specifically the following issues:
- Unaccompanied minors arriving in the U.S.,
- Not enough accommodations and too few beds to house the refugees properly
- Family separations happening to the immigrants prior to their arrival at the US border in Mexico.
- The towns and communities adjacent in the US are overflowing with cartel activities with a dent in the ability of Mexican police to enforce law and order
- A growing population of expelled immigrants to the US in the Mexican border communities
- Few work Visas available for immigrants from Latin America
- Large refugee groups from Venezuela, Honduras, and Guatemala fled because of economic, and pandemic problems and were hit by two hurricanes
- Clogged immigration court system
The Biden administration is pushing Congress to continue on a path to passing reform legislation while taking the immigration crisis at the border as one of the most pressing issues with the need of immediate resolution.