Of 50,000 migrants who crossed the southern border illegally before being released without a court date, just 13 percent have reported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to figures released on Wednesday that illustrate the pitfalls of the Biden administrations emergency immigration measures.
It comes amid a continuing surge in people crossing the border from Mexico.
The head of the U.S. Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley sector announced at the weekend that more than 20,000 people had been detained in his area, after June saw a record number of arrests along the border.
On Wednesday, Axios revealed that just 6,700 migrants who crossed between mid-March and mid-July reported to ICE offices as instructed.
A source familiar with Department of Homeland Security data said 16,000 had not shown up within the required 60-day reporting window.
Another 27,000 migrants have not yet reported but remain within the 60-day time limit.
New data reveal that only 13 percent of migrants intercepted at the border and then released later report an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office as instructed
President Biden is under fire from the right for a surge in numbers arriving at the southern border, while the left is concerned about plans to expedite removals
Border officials say the flow of arrivals has not tailed off as the Biden administration said it would. Brian Hastings, the chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector, said 20,000 people were detained more than 20,000 people in a single week
'While individuals have 60 days to check in with ICE, many are proactively reaching out to ICE to begin their official immigration processing, including by receiving a Notice to Appear,' DHS spokesperson Meira Bernstein told Axios.
'Those who do not report, like anyone who is in our country without legal status, are subject to removal by ICE.'
Rather than being given a court date, released migrants are simply released with a list of addresses to which they are told to report.
The practise began in March to ease the burden on border facilities.
Former Trump administration officials said it was more evidence that the administration was too soft.
Stephen Miller, a former adviser to Trump, told Fox News the report was 'just the tip of the iceberg from the data that we need."
"But again, that's all it is, a snapshot. We need all of the data pertaining to this administration's catch and release policy,"
