Mayorkas: Earlier border actions could have tempered the migrant surge

At the POLITICO Security Summit, former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas suggested the Biden administration should have tightened immigration controls sooner, citing a “broken immigration system.” He credited June 2024 executive actions and a tougher border stance with reducing migrant crossings by about 70–75%, defended DHS as more fit for purpose, and praised his successor’s focus on workforce well-being as vital to the department’s mission.