Biden admin instructs Border Patrol to release most illegal aliens from all but six countries

The Biden administration has directed U.S. Border Patrol agents to release illegal aliens from nearly all Eastern Hemisphere countries into the United States, rather than deporting them, according to a memo obtained by the Washington Examiner.

The instruction comes shortly after President Joe Biden signed an executive order on immigration last week, which he claimed would shut down the border if it became overwhelmed, despite previously stating that he couldn’t do so. Many officials, elected leaders, and security experts have criticized the executive order, calling it ineffective and merely window dressing, the Daily Wire reports.

The memo given to Border Patrol agents contradicts statements made by senior Biden administration officials during a call with reporters on Tuesday. The officials had indicated that migrants from Eastern Hemisphere countries who traveled through multiple countries without seeking asylum to reach the U.S., known as extra-hemispheric migrants, would be subject to the new rules and provisions.

According to the report, a Biden official stated that the administration had been working with governments worldwide to enhance their ability to repatriate individuals to historically challenging countries. In recent months, repatriation flights have been operated to India, China, Uzbekistan, Mauritania, and Senegal. The official claimed that the new rules and measures would allow for the imposition of immediate and fast consequences on migrants, regardless of their country of origin.

However, the instructions given to Border Patrol agents state that only individuals from Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will be referred for fast removal from the U.S. and denied the opportunity to seek asylum. All other individuals entering from Eastern Hemisphere countries will be released into the U.S. and permitted to seek asylum. The Eastern Hemisphere encompasses the entire Middle East, Asia, most of Africa, and most of Europe.

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin described the instructions as a continuation of “mass catch & release” for illegal immigrants, with approximately 10 million having entered the U.S. under the Biden administration.