Shift in border security measures

WASHINGTON (CBS/KYMA, KECY) - President Biden announced a major shift in border security, in the face of record numbers of migrants flooding into the U.S. the president is also planning his first trip to the southern border since taking office.

Migrants gathered in Mexico border towns, fearing a crackdown on crossings into the US, a move President Biden confirmed on Thursday.

President Biden said in a statement Thursday, we can't stop people from making the journey but we can require them to come here in an orderly way under U.S. law.

The new policy says migrants crossing illegally from Nicaragua, Cuba, and Haiti will be immediately expelled to Mexico, a policy that already applies to Venezuelans.

Instead, the U.S. will accept 30,000 people a month from those four countries if they apply through a legal process and have a financial sponsor in the U.S.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Thursday, “so, the message is clear. individuals should stay where they are and apply for these processes from there.”

President Biden has been under intense pressure from republican leaders as illegal crossings increased to record levels. 

He's planning a trip to the U.S. - Mexico border on Sunday, where thousands of migrants try to cross into the U.S. each day.

The president will visit El Paso, Texas, where shelters are overflowing, leaving crowds of migrants to sleep on the streets. 

Florida is also handling an influx. Just since the weekend, hundreds of Cubans have made the dangerous trip by sea to the Florida Keys.  

President Biden says the real work is up to congress, calling on lawmakers to enact a full immigration plan to fix a broken system.