Analysts see major hurdles in new US border policy

STORY: The Biden Administration has worked hard to get the message out that the ending of the COVID-era restrictions, known as Title 42, does not mean the border is open, and that migrants need to use the new mobile app, CPB One, to book an appointment to seek asylum rather than cross illegally.

But researchers say the bookings are very limited and that will cause problems at the border. Associate Director of Immigration Studies at Cato Institute David Bier said, "And if they cannot request asylum from Border Patrol, they will seek to evade detection and sneak into the country. That's bad for border security. That's bad for the scenes of chaos and disorder that we're seeing."

The new rules bar migrants from re-entering the country for five years if they are caught crossing illegally.

A U.S. humanitarian parole program providing legal migration pathways for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans - with a U.S.-based sponsor - will continue under the new program.

Peter Margulies, a law professor at Roger Williams University, said he believes there's a "decent" chance of a significant reduction in illegal border crossings. "One, people will know that they can be deported back to Mexico, which is unsafe, and they'll have much less of a chance to get into the United States," Margulies said. "Two, the parole programs that were put in place will give people at least some hope that they can come here legally and consistent with orderly immigration processes."

But Margulies added that the harsh conditions causing so many people to leave their home countries remain in place and a major obstacle to the new policy.

Around 25,000 migrants were being held in U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities near the border on Friday, down slightly from record highs earlier in the week, according to the National Border Patrol Council, a union for agents. About 10,000 migrants per day were reported crossing illegally this week.