DHS: ‘100 %’ Border Crossers with Children Being Released into U.S., Given Work Permits

PORTMAN What percent of ░░░░░░░░ families who come up ░░░░░░░░ the border and again ░░░░░░░░ your officer ask for ░░░░░░░░ are being released into ░░░░░░░░ community within days MCALEENAN ░░░░░░░░ percent PORTMAN 100 percent ░░░░░░░░ Yeah and they re ░░░░░░░░ necessarily asking for asylum ░░░░░░░░ don t have to ░░░░░░░░ can go into an ░░░░░░░░ proceeding and not have ░░░░░░░░ present that case for ░░░░░░░░ When they go into ░░░░░░░░ community you say it ░░░░░░░░ take a while It ░░░░░░░░ over two years in ░░░░░░░░ you should know before ░░░░░░░░ can have a court ░░░░░░░░ MCALEENAN Right PORTMAN It ░░░░░░░░ over a two year ░░░░░░░░ What s the average ░░░░░░░░ the country do you ░░░░░░░░ MCALEENAN The average is ░░░░░░░░ two years In some ░░░░░░░░ states it s even ░░░░░░░░ PORTMAN Two years before ░░░░░░░░ immigration hearing takes place ░░░░░░░░ Right PORTMAN And during ░░░░░░░░ time period can those ░░░░░░░░ work MCALEENAN Yes by ░░░░░░░░ large although we re ░░░░░░░░ at tightening the rules ░░░░░░░░ that there s not ░░░░░░░░ opportunity to take advantage ░░░░░░░░ the system PORTMAN So ░░░░░░░░ have a work permit ░░░░░░░░ understanding is they don ░░░░░░░░ get the work permit ░░░░░░░░ but after a certain ░░░░░░░░ of time is it ░░░░░░░░ weeks MCALEENAN It s ░░░░░░░░ now it s in ░░░░░░░░ 30 90 days range ░░░░░░░░ s correct PORTMAN And ░░░░░░░░ individuals then are are ░░░░░░░░ to work so if ░░░░░░░░ are a trafficker what ░░░░░░░░ re telling people is ░░░░░░░░ if you come to ░░░░░░░░ border and seek asylum ░░░░░░░░ even if you re ░░░░░░░░ to the border and ░░░░░░░░ an immigration hearing you ░░░░░░░░ be released into the ░░░░░░░░ for a couple of ░░░░░░░░ at least before your ░░░░░░░░ and you have the ░░░░░░░░ to work and with ░░░░░░░░ wage differential of you ░░░░░░░░ being able to make ░░░░░░░░ times as much or ░░░░░░░░ as much as twenty ░░░░░░░░ as much in the ░░░░░░░░ States Do you think ░░░░░░░░ is a factor MCALEENAN ░░░░░░░░ think that not only ░░░░░░░░ it a factor that ░░░░░░░░ directly how smugglers are ░░░░░░░░ the opportunity to come ░░░░░░░░ the U S right ░░░░░░░░ PORTMAN So ultimately it ░░░░░░░░ down to the jobs ░░░░░░░░ Right.”