Border Patrol paroles migrants to avoid massive overcrowding

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press

EAGLE PASS, Texas (AP) — The Border Patrol paroled more than 207,000 migrants who crossed from Mexico from August through May. In the previous seven months, it paroled only 11. It is a low-key but far-reaching change from President Joe Biden’s first months in office and from his predecessors, Donald Trump and Barack Obama, who oversaw gross overcrowding at Border Patrol facilities. By law, the Homeland Security Department may parole migrants “for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.” The Border Patrol says it turned to parole because it lacks holding space and resources are “overwhelmed.”