‘Catch and Release’ 2.0 – Immigration Blog
A hallmark of the Obama administration's failed immigration policies was its pervasive practice of "catch and release". Under this policy, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers would release aliens apprehended at the border into the interior of the country with a Notice to Appear (NTA), the immigration charging document. With the immigration courts overwhelmed by the Obama administration's open borders policies, often these court dates were years into the future.
Unsurprisingly, these economic migrants who posed as asylum seekers referred to the NTA as a permiso, meaning a permit or permission to stay. Once released, a large share of these illegal aliens disappeared into the interior with no intention of appearing before an immigration judge. Mission accomplished. The Trump administration ushered in a new era of immigration enforcement and promptly ended "catch and release" and was generally successful in removing many of the pull factors that enticed illegal aliens to take the journey north under the guise of seeking asylum.
As the old saying goes, elections have consequences, and the days of enforcing U.S. immigration law ended at noon on January 20, 2021. Through a multi-step process, in less than two months the Biden administration has eviscerated the enforcement successes of the Trump administration and ushered in an crisis at the border. Step one of this process began in the first weeks of the Biden administration by reinstituting the classic Obama-era "catch and release" policies.
Not to be outdone by his predecessor, step two adds a nefarious twist to "catch and release" that will make it impossible to ever remove a large number of the illegal aliens. Earlier this week, Breitbart News reported(and CBP confirmed) that CBP in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas is now releasing apprehended aliens without an NTA. This reckless policy was revealed to Breitbart News by a senior level CBP law enforcement source who aptly described the plan as "insane, it is another pull factor that will overwhelm us." He added, "We are creating another entirely different class of aliens we will have to deal with years from now. We will never find most of these aliens once they are released."
In lieu of an NTA, these illegal aliens are reportedly being released after telling CBP where in the interior they intend to travel. These illegal aliens are on an "honor system" to report to the local immigration court once they arrive. Considering these economic migrants have already lied about being asylum seekers, you have to suspend reality to believe they will follow through with self-reporting to the immigration court.
In the absence of an NTA, these illegal aliens are never put on the court docket. And if they aren't on the court docket, the immigration judge cannot order the alien removed in absentia for failing to appear at the court date. Without an absentia order, DHS will not be able to promptly remove the illegal aliens once they subsequently encounter him or her. This practice all but assures that these illegal aliens will never be removed and someday will become the next "sympathetic" population that "deserves" amnesty because of their supposed deep roots in our country and other generic "contributions" to society.
According to Breitbart's CBP source, this "catch and release 2.0" policy is only being applied at the Rio Grande Valley. One of two things will happen next if this dangerous policy continues. Either it will be expanded across the southern border, or illegal aliens, coyotes, and drug cartels will wise up and funnel everyone through the Rio Grande Valley. If you think the border is overwhelmed now, just wait until hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens hone in on just one border sector as their golden ticket into the country.
Read this article:
'Catch and Release' 2.0 - Immigration Blog
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her 'you seem to have no sympathy' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her you seem to have no sympathy - WFIN - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- ICE and U.S. Border Patrol assist in local sex crime investigation involving previously deported illegal alien - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- White House touts 100-day illegal immigration crackdown after Biden 'unsecured the border on purpose' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- In a first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners, ICE Miami and Florida law enforcement arrested nearly 800 illegal aliens this... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- More than 990 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in April - Texas Border Business - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Rep. Wilson urges people to call, threaten lawmakers over uptick in illegal immigration detentions - Fox News - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why is the Church advocating illegal immigration? - Amityville Record - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why sheriffs across Ohio are joining ICE in crackdown on illegal immigration - News 5 Cleveland WEWS - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Rachel Reeves must combine EU deals with cutting illegal immigration - The Times - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- The Washington Post Needs to Get its Facts Straight Regarding Illegal Aliens and Social Security - Federation for American Immigration Reform - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in March - Texas Border Business - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Mayor Donna Deegan and others speak at press conference concerning Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Act - The Florida Times-Union - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged With Immigration-Related Crimes In A Week - RTTNews - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Erdogans Turkey is Weaponizing Illegal Immigration Europe Must Wake Up - The Times of Israel - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- U.S. Cracks Down on Illegal Immigration: Follow the Law and You Will Find Opportunity - US Embassy in Montenegro - USEmbassy.gov - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Deegan says she is reviewing illegal immigration bill before signing it. But councilman says shes making excuses - WJXT News4JAX - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Labour has changed precisely nothing on illegal immigration - The Telegraph - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Cleveland attorney says green card application pause 'has nothing to do with illegal immigration' - ideastream - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Sanders recognizes Trumps efforts on border, fentanyl: Nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate - The Hill - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Federal authorities charge over 800 illegal aliens with immigration crimes in just 1 week - Fox News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- US Embassy in Morocco Warns Against Illegal Immigration Amid Tightened Visa Policies - Morocco World News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Navy deploys additional warship to curb illegal immigration, drug smuggling at the southern border - Fox News - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Trump Administration Plans Military Buffer Zone Along the Southern Border to Deter Illegal Immigration - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Praise to Trump for Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration - American Family Association - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Dominican Immigration Authorities and Transport Sector unite against illegal immigration - Dominican Today - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- How state lawmakers are trying to crack down on illegal immigration - The Texas Tribune - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Exclusive | Trump border czar Tom Homan heads to Albany to call out NY Dems over pro-illegal immigration policies - New York Post - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Exclusive | Trump border czar Tom Homan heads to Albany to call out NY Dems over pro-illegal immigration policies - New York Post - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE San Diego arrests violent criminal illegal alien convicted of attempted murder after reentering the US over 7 times - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE San Diego arrests violent criminal illegal alien convicted of attempted murder after reentering the US over 7 times - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- 4 illegal aliens charged with firearms offenses as a result of an ICE Las Cruces and ATF investigation - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- ICE apprehends illegal alien with ties to Nicaraguan massacre and Mexican drug cartel - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Idaho Senate moves ahead with criminalizing illegal immigration - Boise State Public Radio - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Idaho Senate moves ahead with criminalizing illegal immigration - Boise State Public Radio - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration crackdown: Detention facilities are now full - Seeking Alpha - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration crackdown: Detention facilities are now full - Seeking Alpha - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Mass Illegal Immigration Leads to Tragedies Like the Williams Kids - Sacramento Observer - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Mass Illegal Immigration Leads to Tragedies Like the Williams Kids - Sacramento Observer - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Kerala's Ernakulam offers classes on safe migration, how to spot fake agencies, amid rise in illegal immigration: Report - Deccan Herald - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- WATCH: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey Talks About Illegal Immigration Initiative to Assist Federal Agencies - SpaceCoastDaily.com - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- How Many Illegal Aliens Are in the United States? 2025 Update - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- JD Vance touts Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration in Texas - CBS News - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- ICE forced to release some illegal migrants who could pose danger to Americans: immigration attorney - Fox News - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- More needed to stop illegal immigration - The Pantagraph - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- Vance: Increases In Housing Linked To Increases In Illegal Immigration - The Daily Wire - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- DeSantis, Trump administration partner on cracking down on illegal immigration in Florida - Miami Herald - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Six-time deported gang member wanted for murder busted in Texas illegal immigration sting - Fox News - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Fact-checking the Trump White Houses claims about illegal immigration dropping sharply - PBS NewsHour - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE, BP and law enforcement partners intercept human smuggling load that results in the arrest of 8 illegal aliens - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE arrests another illegal alien outside Northampton County Prison, following countys release and failure to honor immigration detainer - U.S.... - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- ICE Boston arrests illegal Brazilian alien charged with raping Massachusetts resident - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- 40 Chinese nationals repatriated from Thailand in joint crackdown on illegal immigration - Xinhua - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- All 67 of Floridas county sheriffs agree to work with ICE to crack down on illegal immigration - Florida Politics - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Kansas AG Kris Kobach says KBI agents will work with ICE on illegal immigration - The Topeka Capital-Journal - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- ICE Boston arrests illegal Guatemalan national charged with forcibly raping Massachusetts minor - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - February 18th, 2025 [February 18th, 2025]
- Texas and Trump boost cooperation to prevent illegal immigration at the U.S. - Mexico border - CBS News - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- ICE Washington, D.C. and FBI Washington, D.C. arrest 7 illegal aliens in Northern Virginia operation - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- ICE Seattle captures illegal aliens with histories of unlawful entries into the US - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- India, US commit to tackling illegal immigration, human trafficking: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri - The Tribune India - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Trump admin ends deportation protections for massive number of Venezuelans amid illegal immigration crackdown - Fox News - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Explained: India-US ties and the illegal immigration issue - The Indian Express - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Armstrong Williams | Will the government follow Trump's lead on illegal immigration? | Columns | tribdem.com - TribDem.com - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- ICE arrests top 5,500 in first week of Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration - ABC NEWS 4 - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration Would Raise Wages for Lower-Income Americans - Heritage.org - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- 'Newsom-proof California': Lawmaker proposes bill to strengthen fight against illegal immigration, trafficking - AOL - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Four Bangladeshi women arrested in Thane for illegal immigration - The Times of India - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Northwest Florida schools brace for possible ICE raids amid illegal immigration crackdown - WEAR - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Ending Illegal Immigration in the United States - Department of State - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Woolley Addresses Illegal Immigration with Bills to Protect Oklahoma Jobs, Track School Funds - Oklahoma House of Representatives - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Illegal Immigration and Fentanyl at the U.S. Northern and Southwest Borders - FactCheck.org - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Undocumented migrants in New York arrested in Trump crackdown on illegal immigration - NBC News - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Modi and Trump call: US president says India 'will do what's right' on illegal immigration - BBC.com - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- NGOs 'outrageously' profit from illegal immigration, former DHS advisor says - Fox News - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- DHS announces launch of new office for victims of illegal immigrant crime - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- MO Senate Hears Discussions Related To Illegal Immigration This Week - krmsradio.com - January 30th, 2025 [January 30th, 2025]
- Planes carrying expelled migrants arrive in Latin America as US cracks down on illegal immigration - FRANCE 24 English - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- The Texas-Mexico border already seeing big changes to illegal immigration after Trump's executive or - CBS News - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Analysis of Trump Day 1 Executive Orders: Unconstitutional, Illegal, and Cruel - National Immigration Law Center - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- 'Not my job': Sheriff vows Las Vegas Police will not assist with Trump's illegal immigration 'roundups' - Fox News - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]