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The Biden administration is facing mounting criticism from the Border Patrol’s union for its handling of the ongoing migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border. The recent announcement of a “targeted enforcement operation” in El Paso, Texas, has been labeled a “sad joke” and a “pandering PR stunt” by the union, who argue it will aid dangerous illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin has accused the Department of Homeland Security of warning potential evaders and “giving them a heads-up” about the operation. As the crisis continues to escalate, the administration’s decision to end the Title 42 policy is no doubt causing concern among law enforcement officials. Let’s dive in.

In a move that has drawn fierce criticism from conservative voices, the Biden administration has announced a “targeted enforcement operation” intended to address the migrant crisis plaguing the border between El Paso and Juárez, Mexico. However, the move has drawn criticism from the Border Patrol’s union, who blasted the plan, branding the operation a “sad joke”.

The Department of Homeland Security’s plan stated that immigration agents would “conduct a targeted enforcement operation in El Paso, Texas,” where they will “process individuals for vetting and placement into Title 42 expulsion or Title 8 removal proceedings.”

The Border Patrol union especially has been vocal in its opposition to the DHS plan, branding it “sad joke”. They have argued that publicly announcing the operation and warning illegal immigrants where to hide only aids those who should be arrested. “Serious law enforcement leaders don’t behave this way,” the union tweeted.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin has also weighed in on the controversy, describing the press release as “puzzling”. He argues that giving illegal immigrants a “head’s up” that DHS agents are coming only makes the operation worthless. Melugin is already hearing from frustrated Border Patrol agents who believe the operation will have no impact at all.

The DHS’s decision to announce the operation publicly simply served to help illegal immigrants avoid arrest, and ultimately backfired.

Video from Townhall’s Julio Rosas shows a long line of illegal immigrants in El Paso who had been staying on the streets and then turned themselves in to be processed following DHS’s publicly shared plan.

DHS’s decision comes as the city of El Paso experiences an enormous migrant surge, with the El Paso port of entry having witnessed “over 26,000 apprehensions and over 7,000 ‘gotaways’.”

Despite this surge, the Biden administration chugged ahead with plans to end Title 42, the Trump-era rule that expedites illegal immigrant expulsions. This move has drawn weariness from Biden’s own Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has admitted in a past memo that ending Title 42 will “strain our workforce, our communities, and our entire system”. Meanwhile, conservative voices have argued consistently that this decision is only encouraging even more illegal immigration.

Conservative voices have been quick to point out that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have only worsened the crisis at the southern border, with illegal immigration skyrocketing in the last few months. The Border Patrol has reported 162,317 migrant encounters in March alone, and “long lines of migrants” are now amassing in border cities like Tijuana. Despite the mounting criticism, the Biden administration remained committed to ending Title 42, a move that is only attracting even more illegal immigration.

The Biden administration is taking flak from all sides over its handling of the ongoing border crisis. The recent announcement of a “targeted enforcement operation” has been criticized all around, with many arguing it will do little to stem the flow of illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, the administration’s decision to end the Title 42 policy has caused consternation among law enforcement officials who know it will lead to even more strain on an already overwhelmed system. As the migrant crisis continues to worsen, it remains to be seen how the administration will respond, or if it will be able to bring the situation under control, but so far, there has been virtually no hope.