An internal Border Patrol memo, obtained by a prominent news network, instructs agents in the San Diego sector to release single adults from all but six countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, classifying them as “hard” or “very hard” to remove. This directive follows President Biden’s recent executive order banning asylum for most illegal immigrants.

Border Patrol memo shows immigrant processing still happening, except for migrants from these countries https://t.co/2MucDco1VG

— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) June 10, 2024

President Biden announced the order, stating he was “moving past Republican obstruction and using executive authorities available to me as president to do what I can on my own to address the border.” However, this new memo raises serious questions about the effectiveness and enforcement of the administration’s immigration policies.

The details, first reported by the Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli, indicate that agents are instructed to process single adults from the Eastern Hemisphere via “NTA/OR,” which stands for Notice to Appear/released on Own Recognizance. Exceptions are made for migrants from Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan, which are classified as “mandatory referral” countries.

Given there are over 100 countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, this guidance implies that despite the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and President Biden’s threats of consequences and promises to remove migrants who cross illegally under the new executive order, the majority of migrants in the San Diego sector are being released into the U.S.

A senior Border Patrol official explained that this was localized guidance tailored specifically for the San Diego sector due to the diverse nationalities encountered there. The official emphasized that this is not the standard guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or DHS for the entire border. Furthermore, the CBP official noted that even though these migrants are being released into the U.S., they remain ineligible for asylum and cannot request it.

This revelation has sparked a significant debate over the administration’s handling of border security and immigration enforcement. Critics argue that the memo contradicts the President’s public assurances of strict border control measures and undermines the effectiveness of the executive order intended to curb illegal immigration.