White House: Catch and Release has ended

Today the United States Government announced historic action to confront the illegal immigration crisis facing the United States.

The Trump administration notified the Government of Mexico that the United States is invoking Section 235(b)(2)(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act immediately. Individuals arriving in the United States from Mexico—illegally or without proper documentation—will be returned to Mexico for the duration of their immigration proceedings.

“Due to the Trump administration’s strong leadership, ‘catch and release’ has ended,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders posted to Twitter Thursday. “Illegal immigrants apprehended in the U.S. must now return to Mexico. Thank you to the government of Mexico, who is now doing more to solve our illegal immigration problem than the Democrats.”

The Mexican government has assured Trump officials that it will afford affected migrants visas to stay on Mexican soil, apply for work, and other benefits while they await U.S. proceedings.

The move will effectively end catch-and-release where illegal immigrants that request asylum after being caught entering the country illegally, would be released into the United States pending legal proceedings.

“The United States of America is committed to affording aliens rights under the law, including access to counsel, but we will no longer allow a free pass into the United States,” DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said on Twitter.

The caught and released aliens rarely showed up for their hearings and disappeared into the shadows of the illegal alien community within the United States.

“Because of loopholes in our laws, tens of thousands of illegal aliens have been able to enter this country, make meritless asylum claims, and then be released and disappear into the United States,” Acting Attorney General Mattew Whittaker said in a statement. “But the Trump administration has been taking steps to close these loopholes and eliminate the incentives to come here illegally.  Today the Trump Administration has taken a historic step that will reverse the trends and help restore the rule of law at the border.”

“Thanks to this and other Trump Administration decisions, the days of our generosity being abused are coming to an end,” he added.