A Bipartisan Proposal Would Centralize Processing Of Asylum Claims Along The Border

Three members of the Texas Congressional delegation, led by Sen. John Cornyn, and representing both parties, advocate the creation of four regional facilities to consolidate processing of migrants’ asylum claims.

By Mitch BordenApril 23, 2021 1:18 pm, , ,

From Marfa Public Radio:

Three Texas members of Congress are launching a bipartisan effort in response to the current influx of migrants at the U.S.- Mexico border. Currently, thousands of unaccompanied children and teenagers are being held at federally run shelters across the country after crossing into the United States.

Led by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, this effort would create new facilities for migrants to be processed and streamline asylum requests.

In a press conference on Thursday, Cornyn along with Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales and Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar announced new legislation called the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, which they claim will help alleviate future situations at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The bill would create four regional processing centers along the border where migrants could be sent to have their asylum requests processed. Cornyn said the new legislation would also ask for more immigration judges to expedite these proceedings.

“We want to reduce wait times for people who have legitimate claims and give them an opportunity for them to present their claim to an immigration judge. We want to prioritize certain claims for example with unaccompanied children,” Cornyn said.

There is no timeline for when the proposed processing centers would come online or where they would be located if the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act is eventually signed into law.

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