Mayorkas says immigration crisis not unique to US: 'Reflective of the economic downturn' and 'climate change'

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday that the immigration crisis at the southern border is not unique to the U. S., and that southern countries are also seeing a massive influx of migrants due to the global economic downturn and climate change.

During an appearance on ABC’s "This Week," Mayorkas was asked by anchor Martha Raddatz whether the Biden’s administration’s policies were working at the U. S.-Mexico border, where Border Patrol agents are reporting a record number of apprehensions of immigrants trying to illegally cross into the U.S.

"I think that we are doing a good job. We need to do better," Mayorkas responded. "We are focused on doing more, and we are doing it with our partners to the south."

Mayorkas said the crisis is a global one, and that populations are being driven northward in part due to the flailing global economy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change.

"This is a phenomenon that not only the United States is experiencing – Colombia now has more than 2 million Venezuelans within its borders, Costa Rica has indicated that 2%... (Read more)

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