In a bold move, Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas launched a lawsuit against the administration of former Vice President Joe Biden, alleging that they have been unlawfully pre-approving migrants to enter the United States through a mobile app. Paxton asserts that this app, designed to streamline the process, is actually encouraging illegal immigration and disregarding the new rule requiring asylum seekers to apply in a safe third country.
According to reports from Breitbart News, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One app has been facilitating appointments for pregnant women, the elderly, the disabled, the homeless, and victims of crime to meet with border agents and gain entry into American communities. Foreign nationals in Mexico can conveniently schedule appointments at specific border crossings in Arizona, Texas, or California up to two weeks in advance using this application.
Expressing his concerns, Paxton accuses the Biden administration of intentionally developing the app to unlawfully pre-approve a greater number of foreign aliens to enter the country, granting them unrestricted access upon arrival. He firmly asserts that the administration’s actions prioritize creating new avenues for illegal immigration while disregarding the impact on American residents.
In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defends the app, highlighting its role in providing a secure, orderly, and humane method of processing refugees. They argue that if migrants follow the legal channels and schedule appointments through the CBP One app, it can effectively reduce illicit immigration, especially considering the flaws in the current immigration system.
CBS News reports that the Biden administration intends to raise the daily quota of migrants admitted through the smartphone app from 740 to 1,000 individuals.
Texas’s lawsuit contends that the app operates in conjunction with the administration’s expanded parole policies, expediting and simplifying the processing of aliens at the border, subsequently allowing them to enter the country more swiftly. The lawsuit emphasizes the potential costs imposed on Texas, including those related to public education, law enforcement, healthcare, and other public services required for illegal aliens.
The case, Texas v. Mayorkas, is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, under the case number 2:23-cv-00024. It stands as a significant legal battle between the state of Texas and the Biden administration’s immigration policies.