US sees rise in apprehensions on southern border

There has been an increase in the number of people apprehended along the country’s southern border, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson reported Wednesday.

Johnson said in a statement that he has told border security and immigration enforcement personnel to “take steps to keep pace with this increase.”

{mosads}”As a result, there are currently about 41,000 individuals in our immigration detention facilities, including over 4,400 Haitians,” Johnson said in a statement.

“Typically, the number in immigration detention is about 31,000 to 34,000.”

The statement did not clarify the reason for the increase in the number of those apprehended at the southern border.

The Department of Homeland Security also said it will increase deportations to Haiti in the coming weeks.

In the last several weeks, Johnson said, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has removed more than 200 Haitian nationals and “plans to significantly expand removal operations in the coming weeks.”

“I have authorized ICE to acquire additional detention space so that those apprehended at the border and not eligible for humanitarian relief can be detained and sent home as soon as possible,” Johnson said.

He added that the country needs to enforce its immigration laws.

“Those who attempt to enter our country illegally must know that, consistent with our laws and our values,” he said, “we must and we will send you back.”

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump made border security and combating illegal immigration central to his message.

He vowed to build a wall along the country’s southern border and to deport those in the country illegally.

Last week though, the president-elect admitted he would consider fencing for some portions of the boundary. He also said he would immediately deport or incarcerate as many as 3 million people in the country illegally who he said had committed crimes here.