Summary

Illegal border crossings reached yet another all-time high in apprehensions of illegal border crossers in July, with the year-to-date total of 1.8 million apprehensions exceeding the number encountered in all of FY2021. More importantly, the number of illegal crossers who are released into the country, together with the “gotaways” who avoided arrest, is at an all-time high. Since the Biden administration shows no sign of changing policies to reduce illegal entries, some states have moved to buffer their citizens from the consequences of this influx. Florida has been the most innovated and assertive in marshaling state authorities to address these consequences, including empaneling a statewide grand jury with expansive investigative powers to attack the criminal infrastructure that drives illegal immigration and to hold accountable those who participate in illegal migration-related criminal schemes.

Dan Cadman, a senior fellow at the Center and a former senior ICE official, explains the role and powers of this grand jury and the possible impact it may have. One focus for the jury will be the smuggling of unaccompanied minors into the country and the implications for parents who pay smugglers to transport their children from their home countries. The grand jury may also look at whether certain local governments, reportedly including Miami-Dade County, are following Florida law, which requires them to assist ICE in taking custody of criminal aliens.