Mayorkas: The world is experiencing the greatest displacement of people since World War Two

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spoke at a press conference held at the Border Patrol Station in Brownsville on Feb. 29, 2024.

Mayorkas accompanied President Biden on a visit to the border, receiving a briefing from the Border Patrol, as well as immigration, law enforcement and asylum officers. He said he and the president learned a lot.

Mayorkas said they heard about the “dynamic and challenging phenomenon of irregular migration we face as our hemisphere and the world experiences the greatest displacement of people since World War Two.”

At times last year, Mayorkas said, 30 percent of the encounters across the entire southern land border occurred in the Rio Grande Valley sector. 

“Today we discussed the dramatic changes our partners in the South have helped bring about by increasing their enforcement before people reach the United States border,” Mayorkas said.

Mayorkas said he and Biden also heard from DHS leadership about how “resource-starved” Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection are. 

“Only Congress can address our desperate need for more Border Patrol agents, field operations officers, immigration enforcement agents and officers, asylum officers, immigration judges, support personnel, facilities and technology.”

Here is an audio recording of Secretary Mayorkas’ remarks about border security at the press conference:

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