In yet another display of the Biden administration’s knack for bending the rules, NBC News reported that a new policy has been introduced allowing classified information to be shared during immigration hearings and proceedings. This policy, brought forward in a memo on May 9 by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, could drastically change the landscape of how immigration cases are handled.
**In case you missed it, the Biden administration is now apparently comfortable with giving asylum officers and immigration judges access to classified information. Yes, you heard that right. Now, potentially sensitive intelligence that could link migrants to terrorist organizations or indicate whether they pose any threat to public safety will be more accessible.**
This is a far cry from the previous 2004 directive, which allowed the use of classified information in immigration proceedings only as a “last resort.” Back then, the DHS secretary needed to give their stamp of approval for any such information to be shared by prosecutors arguing for deportation. But who needs those pesky checks and balances when you can just hand over the keys to the classified kingdom to an agency head, right? According to the new memo, approval can also be granted by the head of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Of course, this decision isn’t without its bureaucratic hurdles. The administration is now trying to figure out whether additional storage is necessary for the sensitive information to be shared securely or if more security clearances are needed. You’d think they’d have considered this before rolling out such a policy, but hey, details, details.
NBC News cited a DHS official who claimed that in the last half-decade, there’s been a noticeable change in how transnational criminal organizations have become involved in the movement of people from the Eastern hemisphere. They added that the terrorist threat landscape has grown in complexity over the last few years. Well, no kidding. But does this sudden shift in policy mean we’re throwing caution to the wind, all in the name of “keeping up with the times”?
It’s almost as if the administration has realized that the real-world complexities of immigration and national security don’t quite fit into their idealistic policy frameworks. Imagine that. So, instead of acknowledging that their previous policies might have been, oh, I don’t know, naive at best, they’re now quietly backpedaling with a new memo that gives them more leeway.
Let’s be clear here: no one is suggesting that protecting national security isn’t important. But the timing and manner of this policy change raise some serious questions. Are we really expected to believe that this is all just about adapting to new threats? Or is it more about the administration covering its tracks and trying to appear tough on immigration and security issues ahead of election season?
It’s high time we hold these officials accountable and demand transparency. If this policy is truly about enhancing our national security, then let’s see the data and the reasoning behind it. Otherwise, it’s just another example of the administration’s penchant for policy on the fly, hoping that no one notices the smoke and mirrors behind their so-called reforms.
Stay informed, stay vigilant, and don’t let the wool be pulled over your eyes. The stakes are too high for us to sit back and accept these changes without scrutiny.
