Biden Administration Announces Plan to Establish Immigration Processing Centers in Latin America to Address Record Surge in Migration

The Biden administration is bracing for a record surge in migration across the southern border when Covid restrictions officially end May 11. To handle the influx of migrants, federal immigration authorities and local officials are in need of more money and space. To address this issue, the Biden administration is expected to announce on Thursday the establishment of immigration processing centers in Latin America.

The processing centers would serve as regional hubs to screen migrants and determine whether they qualify for programs to enter the U.S. legally. On Sunday, about 18,000 migrants were in temporary Customs and Border Protection processing centers along the southern border, according to two officials of the Department of Homeland Security. This number is already close to capacity under current budget levels.

The Biden administration is hoping that the new processing centers in Latin America will help reduce the number of migrants traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border. The administration is also working to increase the number of beds available in detention centers and shelters, as well as provide additional resources to process asylum claims.

The Biden administration is taking steps to address the influx of migrants, but it is unclear how effective the new processing centers will be in reducing the number of migrants traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border. It is also unclear how the administration will fund the additional resources needed to process asylum claims. The Biden administration is expected to provide more details on Thursday when the plan is formally announced.