In a crucial U.S.-Mexico meeting held in Mexico City this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to discuss the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border. Amidst record-breaking numbers of encounters, the Biden administration and many Democrats continue to prioritize a pathway to citizenship or other forms of legalization for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

During the meeting, the issue of regularizing the situation of Hispanic migrants who have been living in the United States for several years, including those protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, was raised. The joint statement released after the meeting highlighted the benefits of granting legal status to these individuals, emphasizing their contributions to the U.S. economy and society. The statement also mentioned that the delegations will reconvene in January to further discuss this matter.

However, the inclusion of this statement in a month marked by record numbers of encounters at the southern border drew immediate criticism from House Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his outrage, stating that it is unconscionable for the Biden administration to discuss amnesty for illegal immigrants while the country is experiencing the worst border crisis in its history. He called for policies that deter illegal immigration and criticized the administration for not taking immediate action to address the situation.

Despite the criticism, the Biden administration has been vocal about its desire to grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants. On his first day in office, President Biden announced a comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes an eight-year path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, immediate green cards for farmworkers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and DACA recipients. The administration continues to advocate for this bill as a solution to the broken immigration system, even as the population of illegal immigrants has surged under their watch.

The calls for amnesty have not been limited to the Biden administration and many Democrats. Senate Democrats recently stated that any changes to the asylum system demanded by Republicans must be combined with legalization for long-standing undocumented immigrants. They argued that increasing lawful pathways for migration and legalizing these immigrants is crucial for securing the border and supporting American communities.

The record-breaking numbers of encounters at the southern border continue to highlight the severity of the migrant crisis. According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources, there have been over 276,000 encounters in December alone, surpassing the previous record set in September. Since the start of the fiscal year in October, there have been more than 760,000 encounters, making it the highest quarter on record. Additionally, there have been 82,000 known getaways and over 9,400 encounters in the last 24 hours. The overwhelmed Border Patrol has struggled to handle the influx of migrants, with Republicans blaming the surge on the administration's policies, while the administration argues that it is dealing with a broader challenge and requires funding and immigration reform legislation from Congress.

In response to the crisis, the administration has focused on expanding lawful pathways for migration, cracking down on smugglers, and increasing consequences for illegal entry. However, critics argue that the release of 5,000 illegal immigrants per day into the U.S., along with the parole of individuals at ports of entry, undermines these efforts. The White House has requested $14 billion in border funding as part of the emergency supplemental funding request, but Republicans have demanded additional restrictions on asylum and the use of parole by the government to address the issue of interior releases.

The U.S.-Mexico meeting in Mexico City and the subsequent discussions on granting legal status to illegal immigrants have ignited a heated debate on immigration policy. While the Biden administration and many Democrats prioritize a pathway to citizenship, Republicans and critics argue that such moves will only worsen the crisis. As the southern border continues to experience unprecedented numbers of encounters, the need for effective solutions and bipartisan cooperation becomes increasingly urgent.