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President Joe Biden’s coordinator for the southern border, Ambassador Roberta Jacobson, recognized the administration is struggling to communicate a promising message to migrants while also urging them to not cross the U.S.-Mexico border until the immigration system is set in stone. “I think, when you look at the issue of mixed messages, it is difficult at times to convey both hope in the future and the danger that is now. And that is what we’re trying to do,” Jacobson said as the number of migrants grew at the border this past week. Smugglers, on the other hand, are spreading the word that the border is ready for a huge flow of migrants. Conservative critics have blamed Biden for not being more forceful with his deterrence message. Politico
In other federal immigration news…
Central American Children Can Apply to Live in the U.S.
The Biden administration is restarting the Central American Minor program, which allows specific minors to seek entry into the U.S. from Central America. The program originally started during the Obama administration and was terminated by former President Donald Trump. The Central American Minor program also allows parents from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras with legal U.S. statuses to seek approval for their children to reside in the U.S. Jacobson said the administration is trying to let Central Americans know it is working on legal immigration processes, but that they shouldn’t come to the border just yet. BuzzFeed News
GOP Believes It Will Regain House in 2022
With the U.S.-Mexico border overwhelmed with migrants, Republicans believe they will gain the support they need to take the majority in the House in 2022. House GOP leadership and over a dozen members gathered outside of the Capitol Building to discuss “Biden’s Border Crisis” on Thursday. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) brought up that over 100,000 migrants crossed the border in February, while Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark) said at the Republican Study Committee’s lunch that the border situation will help the GOP win back the House in next year’s midterms. DailyMail
