TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody has released the Fifth Presentment of the Twenty-First Statewide Grand Jury, which presents a scathing indictment of President Biden's immigration policies. The report criticizes the administration's failure to secure the U.S. Southwest border, resulting in the entry of millions of inadmissible immigrants and the smuggling of tens of thousands of children into the country. The presentment also highlights the role of U.S.-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in increasing migration attempts and uncovers weaknesses in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's CFB One mobile phone app that drug cartels exploit for smuggling.
Attorney General Moody expressed her concerns over the Biden administration's immigration policies, stating, "This is a damning indictment of the Biden administration's complete failure to protect our border and the tens of thousands of immigrant children being smuggled into our country and in some instances, trafficked." She thanked the Statewide Grand Jury for their work in uncovering how these policies are harming vulnerable populations.
The report reveals that Biden's immigration policies have contributed to a historic surge of individuals at the Southwest border. In fiscal year 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encountered over 3 million aliens, with only a third being denied entry. This number is approximately equivalent to the number of children born in America during the same period. The report further specifies that around 1 million migrants were refused entry, more than 900,000 individuals were released to await court hearings, 700,000 entered the country illegally and evaded law enforcement, 140,000 unaccompanied alien children were released into the interior, and more than 400,000 arrived through the CBP One app or other parole programs.
According to the Grand Jury's presentment, close to 1 million individuals residing in Florida are in the country illegally. The report also highlights the influx of Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) from countries with prevalent terrorist groups. Between October 2022 and August 2023, over 75,000 SIAs entered the country, including a 1,300% increase in Chinese migrants crossing the border compared to the previous year.
The presentment emphasizes that the surge of illegal immigration is not only benefiting NGOs and transnational criminal organizations but also Central American countries that sell bus rides and tours to move illegal immigrants towards the U.S. border. It further reveals that up to 70% of U.S. funding given to NGOs for alien services is being spent on administrative expenses, incentivizing the increase of illegal immigration.
The report points out the challenges faced in deporting inadmissible migrants, stating that only 300,000 individuals were removed or deported by CBP from May to September of this year. Immigration courts received over 1.4 million new cases and resolved 669,011 cases, with 2 million active cases currently pending.
The Grand Jury's investigation also uncovered the public safety threat caused by the mass influx of inadmissible immigrants. Testimony revealed instances where Border Patrol released migrants who were potential matches on the Terrorist Watchlist. The report highlights delays in receiving information from Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, hindering the timely arrest of individuals.
Regarding the CFB One mobile phone app, the Grand Jury found that cartels have begun to exploit its vulnerabilities. The report states, "We also received testimony regarding the cartel's ability to 'hack' the CBP-One application by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN)." This allowed cartels to sell appointments to migrants seeking passage and profit from the surge of illegal immigration.
The presentment also sheds light on the tragic stories of unaccompanied alien children who were given forged documents to obtain dangerous employment. Some of these children were injured, maimed, or killed on the job. Additionally, there has been a 1,300% increase in reports of trafficking to the U.S. Health and Human Services hotline over the past five years.
The Grand Jury's investigation extended to financial transactions related to immigration. Subpoenas were sent to major banks and money transfer organizations in Florida, revealing 17 million transactions sending $5.2 billion outside the U.S. in a single year. Troubling patterns of Venezuelan nationals sending money in equal installments over four weeks to remote areas of Mexico were also uncovered.
The Fifth Presentment of the Twenty-First Statewide Grand Jury Regarding Unaccompanied Alien Children can be viewed online. The statewide grand jury is still in session, and proceedings remain confidential.
This scathing indictment by Attorney General Moody's prosecutors highlights the failures of President Biden's immigration policies, emphasizing the need for stronger border security and addressing the vulnerabilities that are being exploited by drug cartels and other criminal organizations. The report serves as a wake-up call to the consequences of lax immigration enforcement and calls for immediate action to protect the safety and well-being of both American citizens and vulnerable immigrant populations.
For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-moodys-prosecutors-announce-scathing-indictment-bidens-immigration