It seems like throwing money at a problem doesn’t always make it go away. Who would’ve thought? Our illustrious Vice President Kamala Harris, tasked with solving the border crisis, has managed to coordinate over $5 billion in investments for Central America. The goal? To reduce migration. The result? A flood of unaccompanied minors that would make Noah consider building another ark. Let’s dive into this sea of bureaucratic blunders and misguided policies, shall we?
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Despite the Biden-Harris administration’s hefty investment in Central America, the influx of unaccompanied migrant children has reached staggering proportions. Since they took office, over 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. This isn’t just a trickle; it’s a full-blown deluge.
President Biden, in his infinite wisdom, handed the reins of this immigration crisis to Vice President Harris in March 2021. Let’s see how that’s working out, shall we?
“I’ve asked her, the VP, today — because she’s the most qualified person to do it — to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle and the countries that help — are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border.” – President Biden
A Crisis Unfolds
Between October 2023 and June 2024 alone, more than 90,000 unaccompanied children were encountered at the southwest border. A staggering 80% of these children hail from Central America, the very region where billions were invested to prevent this exact scenario.
The Biden-Harris administration’s decision to cancel several Trump-era immigration policies has only exacerbated the situation. These policy reversals have led to a significant rise in unaccompanied migrant children encounters, effectively undoing any progress made by previous administrations.
Investments vs. Reality
Vice President Harris proudly touts the administration’s investments in Central America:
“This summer, at the Summit of Americas in Los Angeles, I announced that, working with the Partnership for Central America, we generated more than $3.2 billion in investments.” – Vice President Kamala Harris
However, the harsh reality is that these investments have failed to significantly discourage migration or improve wages enough to prevent border crossings. The disconnect between the administration’s lofty goals and the ground reality is stark and concerning.
Unintended Consequences
The administration’s lax vetting practices for unaccompanied minors have led to alarming consequences. Reports suggest that some gang members and adult migrants have been released into the U.S. under the guise of being unaccompanied minors. Even more disturbing are the incidents of potential child trafficking connected to these unaccompanied minors.
“Despite coordinating the investment of more than $5 billion in public and private investments to increase employment opportunities and reduce corruption in Central America, Vice President Kamala Harris’s efforts to stem the flow of migrants across the southwest border have failed miserably.”
As we grapple with this ongoing crisis, it’s clear that throwing money at the problem isn’t the solution. The Biden-Harris administration’s approach to immigration, particularly concerning unaccompanied minors, needs a serious overhaul. Until then, we’ll continue to see the consequences of these misguided policies play out at our southern border.