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Biden is on his heels amid a migrant surge at Mexico border

Biden Border
Posted at 8:52 AM, Mar 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-21 09:52:42-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is facing growing questions about why it wasn't more prepared for an influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The administration is scrambling to build up the capacity to care for 14,000 young undocumented migrants now in federal custody, and more are likely on the way.

Immigration experts say the predicament was predictable.

Biden administration officials blame the Trump administration for making a mess of the immigration system.

Border patrol officials have encountered more than 29,000 unaccompanied minors since Oct. 1, nearly the same number of youths taken into custody for all of the previous budget year.

According to the Pew Research Center, since Biden’s inauguration, 18,945 family members and 9,297 unaccompanied children were encountered in February, The AP reported.

That's an increase of 168% and 63%, respectively, from January.