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DHS Secretary says: 'Do not come. The border is closed, the border is secure'

The U.S. is facing a surge of migrants along its southern border.

Published: March 21, 2021 10:10am

Updated: March 21, 2021 2:20pm

As the nation faces a surge of migrants at its southern border, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a Sunday interview on ABC's This Week said that people should not come to America and that the U.S. border is closed.

"The message is quite clear: Do not come," Mayorkas declared. "The border is closed, the border is secure. We are expelling families, we are expelling single adults under the CDC's authority under Title 42 of the United States Code because we are in the midst of a pandemic and that is a public health imperative. We are encouraging children not to come, now is not the time to come. Do not come. The journey is dangerous. We are building safe, orderly and humane ways to address the needs of vulnerable children. Do not come."

Mayorkas said that there have been large volumes of migrants to the U.S. before, but that the Trump administration's actions have made it more difficult to handle the current situation.

"We have seen large numbers of migration in the past. We know how to address it. We have a plan. We are executing on our plan. And we will succeed. This is what we do. But one thing is also clear: That it takes time," Mayorkas said. "Why does it take time now? Why is it especially challenging and difficult now? Because the entire system under United States law that has been in place throughout administrations of both parties was dismantled in its entirety by the Trump administration. So we are rebuilding the system as we address the needs of vulnerable children who arrive at our borders."

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