The catastrophic surge of migrants on the U.S. southern frontier could be slashed by up to 90 percent if Congress made changes to a pair of key asylum laws, according to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan.

McAleenan also asserted that the migration crisis may effectively never end if current laws are not changed.

During a border security hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) presented legal proposals to McAleenan as part of Graham’s “Secure and Protect Act.”

Graham asked McAleenan what reduction in the migrant surge might be expected if migrant families could be detained for up to 100 days while they await asylum hearings, and if asylum applications could only be filed in migrants’ countries of origin or Mexico.

“I believe the vast majority would stop,” McAleenan asserted.

“So if we made those two changes – extend the Flores decision to 100 days, so that we would have time to process these people and not release them into the interior of the country, and changed our asylum laws, do you think 90 percent of this flow from Central America would stop overnight?” Graham asked.

“I think between 70 and 90 percent would stop, yes,” McAleenan responded.

McAleenan also revealed that 90 percent of migrant ‘family units’ are skipping their asylum hearings, according to findings of a pilot program which monitored some 7,000 cases.

During the same hearing, Sen. Graham echoed a warning issued by McAleenan months ago, asserting that the border has effectively collapsed.

Sen. Lindsey Graham: “There has to be a breaking point. We’ve reached the breaking point at the border.” pic.twitter.com/B5T9U90o4f — The Hill (@thehill) June 11, 2019

“There has to be a breaking point,” Graham said. “We’ve reached the breaking point at the border. I cannot imagine what it’s like to go to work every day, where half the people are dedicating their time to dealing with family members, minors, and all that goes into trying to deal with 600,000 people in your custody.”

“The breaking point has long passed at the border. This is not sustainable.”



Radical leftists now promote open borders policies in the name of social justice, despite the danger of spreading disease.

Dan Lyman: Follow @CitizenAnalyst