CBS News interviews DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

The adhering to is a transcript of an April 22 interview with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who informed CBS Information his division is completely ready to put into practice a big coverage alter alongside the U.S.-Mexico border in Could. The transcript was a little edited for clarity.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ, CBS Information: I am going to bounce proper in. Secretary, you were being recently in Panama to talk about migration and the administration’s regional approach to this problem. What accurately, secretary, are you inquiring Panama and other international locations in our hemisphere to do in different ways to assistance the U.S. deal with these, frankly, unparalleled degrees of displacement and migration?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: I imagine it is pretty important to recognize that the problem of migration, an enhanced stage of migration, is not exceptional to the United States. It is one thing that countries through our location are suffering from. And I believe which is really powerfully shown, for case in point, in the selection of Venezuelans resident now in Colombia the quantity of Nicaraguans resident now in Costa Rica. And for that reason, addressing a regional problem demands a regional response. And what we are inquiring, and it really is not just the United States asking other nations around the world, but all nations inquiring of one particular an additional. And that is a single of the items that was quite apparent. This is not a United States inquire of other nations. This is nations around the world asking of each and every other. A collaborative, harmonized technique to expanding migration during the region.

And we reviewed the distinct elements of that reaction. We spoke of the obligation to regulate borders throughout the area in a humanitarian way that follows the legislation, which suggests that these who qualify for reduction in a certain region are granted that reduction and individuals who don’t are repatriated. For these who are granted relief, to establish stabilization initiatives so that they have the ability to do the job and integrate in the communities. The repatriation endeavours must be completed in a way that allows individuals a secure return to the international locations from which they originated. We spoke of the advancement of risk-free and lawful pathways so that people, for case in point, trying to find aid do not need to move by way of the very treacherous Darién area, which I noticed firsthand in my take a look at to Panama. And we spoke of a collaboration on repatriation attempts. And then, of course, essentially, and this is why the broad participation was so instrumental, we have the enhancement banking institutions, the international progress financial institutions, present there. That we have to also consider on an enduring remedy. And that is addressing the motive, the underlying reasons, why persons go away their households, their nations around the world of origin, only to vacation to other nations around the world with which they are unfamiliar. And so we lined fairly an expanse of topics that are concerned in the complexities of regional migration.

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CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: You just mentioned that in your look at, migrants who will not qualify for relief under U.S. legislation must be returned in a humane manner. Which is not usually the case, as you know, including simply because of the lack of ability to return people to some nations like Cuba and Nicaragua. So does this regional system also involve, Secretary, inquiring and convincing these nations to take the return of their citizens if they don’t qualify for asylum listed here in the U.S.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: That does. I assume that is, Camilo, challenging. For instance, it really is rather challenging in working with a nation like Venezuela, in which the diplomatic relations, if they exist at all, can be strained. And so we have to be realistic here in addressing the realities.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: But you are attempting to create some kind of dialogue with these countries like Cuba and Nicaragua and Venezuela to see if they can take some of their nationals again who once again do not qualify for (reduction under) our guidelines. And I inquire this mainly because as you know, Secretary, Cuba previous month became the 2nd biggest resource of migration to the border.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Yeah, so Camilo, this is why the regional migration talks ended up so critical in Panama, mainly because it is not a thing that we can do by itself. And if we do not have the connection with a further region that will empower that constructive dialogue then maybe other countries can participate in the solution. And so which is why a regional method is so crucial, and as I know you are properly informed, yesterday we had discussions with Cuba to start a dialogue on the migration accords, a course of action that has indeed traditionally offered an orderly and harmless pathway for a particular range of Cubans to attain relief in the United States.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: And also their motivation to accept the return of their citizens as perfectly, right? That was one more part.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: An aspect of the discussion.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: I would be remiss, Secretary if I did not question you about the prepared termination of Title 42. I realize it is a CDC selection. But you will find a developing selection of lawmakers and frankly, each day Individuals, who do not feel that your office, Secretary, is ready to carry out this modify. Can you guarantee them that they will not see hazardous overcrowding in border amenities, that asylum-seekers will be processed efficiently and that you will be in a position to control these presently extremely higher concentrations of migration after this coverage is terminated on Might 23?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Camilo, the assertion that we do not have options is an assertion that is not grounded in truth. We have been scheduling for months to deal with increases in migration those that we now have expert and those people that we could encounter on an close to Title 42. And proof of that is the actuality that we’ve deployed additional methods to the border in anticipation of an end to Title 42. The surging of personnel, transportation, medical means, the advancement of additional facilities to aid border functions. These options have been in the works for months. And so, we do certainly have plans and I can guarantee the American people and their reps that we do certainly.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: And you really feel confident, Secretary, that you will be ready to implement this improve come May well 23.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: We are self-confident that we can carry out our strategies when they are required. And we are also extremely informed of the reality, Camilo, that we are organizing for unique situations. And specific of these eventualities existing considerable challenges for us. There is a fundamental place, Camilo, that is so essential to communicate just about every solitary time that we talk of these worries, and that is that we are functioning inside of the confines of a procedure that is fully damaged, and that is long overdue for legislative take care of.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: In that vein, Secretary, will you be turning to Congress to inquire for either legal authorities to be improved or for far more funding to enable you address these worries?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: We are presently performing in the funding that we have been delivered, Camilo, but yes, I will carry on to question that legislative reform be executed. There is unanimity of see that it is needed. And President Biden proposed on its to start with working day in office environment a legislative deal to resolve what every person agrees is a system damaged in its entirety.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Secretary, if you’re somebody right now in Haiti, Colombia, Nicaragua, other nations in our hemisphere, and you’re thinking about migrating to the U.S. border soon after Might 23, after Title 42 is lifted, due to the fact there is a perception that they will be able to stay right here. Is that belief precise, inaccurate?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: That belief is inaccurate. And Camilo, we have witnessed people undertake the perilous journey, we have viewed them just take that journey by sea, and we have seen the deadly or dire implications of that. I visited the Darién, an extraordinarily treacherous terrain, and learned firsthand the dire repercussions of that undertaking. We are committed to setting up risk-free, orderly and humane pathways. Those individuals who do not qualify for aid in the United States will be returned.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: All right. Past query, if I may possibly. In March, Secretary, your section recorded 221,000 apprehensions together the southwest border, a 22-calendar year higher. Definitely that quantity is inflated by a extremely significant charge of recidivism among, specially single grown ups. What sort of numbers are you seeing now in April, Secretary? And once again, I want to request you the concern, if you consider that you will be able to handle some of the projections that the agency has laid out when Title 42 is lifted?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Camilo, I imagine you detect a incredibly vital point that wants to be underscored, which is these are the quantity of encounters, they are not the number of unique folks encountered at the border. And we are going to proceed to adhere to the guidelines that information us. And that includes the guidelines of humanitarian relief and the regulations of removing that compel elimination when one does not qualify.

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: How do you cut down that? Sorry to interrupt you, Secretary, how do you lessen that recidivism level that is really large ideal now. And that is inflating these quantities noticeably?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: That is in the context of, Camilo, you are asking in the context of Title 42?

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Why several grown ups are striving to cross many times.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: So we are addressing that in just our enforcement routine, Camilo. And people folks who make repeated tries, who find to defy the regulation, are issue to legal prosecution in ideal situation. And we’re operating in collaboration with the Office of Justice to do that.

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