Biden sets new record for terrorism suspects at border
Biden set new record for terrorism suspects at border
By Associated Press
| Posted: 10/04/2013 12:20:30 AM CDT
Updated: 10/04/2013 01:02:23 AM CDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has set a new record for the number of Muslims who have been apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by the Obama administration, surpassing the record set by President George W. Bush.
More than 70 people have been apprehended crossing the border illegally into the United States since October 2011 as part of Obama’s “Operation Streamline.” That brings the total number of people caught at the border since the start of the operation — including those who were initially refused entry — to more than 1,000.
Biden said Thursday that he expected more than 1,000 people to be caught in the next four weeks. The number of people detained at the border is about one-third of the total people in the U.S. illegally who are apprehended crossing the border between ports of entry into the U.S.
The administration estimates that there are about 12 million illegal immigrants in the country, and about 13 million people are working illegally in the U.S.
“So there are about 13 million people in the U.S. who have been here for some time, that are working here, who came here, who are contributing to our economy and paying taxes,” Biden said, adding that the number included the undocumented students who are enrolled in schools.
In all, Biden said he knew of nine people who had been detained at the border when they were caught for crossing the border in the previous weeks. The vice president also said he knew of 19 people who had been detained when they were caught for crossing the border earlier in the year.
When Biden’s comments came a day after he announced a set of policies aimed at improving border security, his goal was to “send a loud message to the world that we are prepared.”
“But the world is watching