A bombshell report from a Fox News journalist has reignited controversy over the Biden administration’s immigration policies, alleging that secret flights from Mission, Texas, have been transporting migrants across the United States under the cover of night. The explosive video footage, aired on July 21, 2025, claims to expose a covert operation by the Biden administration to move thousands of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to various cities, raising questions about transparency, national security, and the handling of the ongoing border crisis. The report has sparked outrage among critics who argue that these clandestine flights undermine public trust and exacerbate the challenges faced by communities grappling with an influx of migrants.
The footage, captured in Mission, Texas, a border town in the Rio Grande Valley, purportedly shows migrants boarding planes at local airports, allegedly destined for undisclosed locations across the country. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilitated the transport of approximately 320,000 migrants from foreign airports to 43 U.S. cities in 2023 alone, using a program expanded through the CBP One app. This app allows migrants from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to apply for asylum from their home countries and gain entry to the U.S. via commercial flights, often without public disclosure of their destinations. The Fox News report suggests that similar operations are occurring from Mission, with the administration withholding details to avoid scrutiny.
Critics, including Republican lawmakers, have seized on the report to accuse the Biden administration of orchestrating a secretive scheme to redistribute migrants, bypassing traditional border enforcement. They argue that the lack of transparency—CBP has refused to disclose specific airport locations, citing national security concerns—creates vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors, including human traffickers. Former President Donald Trump, in a recent speech, claimed these flights are part of a broader effort to manipulate immigration statistics by reducing visible border crossings. However, fact-checking sources, including the Associated Press, have clarified that these flights are not entirely secret, as CBP publicly reports the number of migrants processed through parole programs, though specific details remain limited.
The Biden administration defends the program as a humanitarian effort to manage the overwhelming number of migrants at the border. Under policies like the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) parole program, launched in 2022, migrants are vetted before being granted temporary entry and work authorization for up to two years. Supporters argue that these flights, often involving unaccompanied minors or families, prevent overcrowding at border facilities and ensure safer transport to sponsors or relatives. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has emphasized that such practices have been routine across multiple administrations, including those of Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, and are not unique to Biden’s tenure.
Despite these assurances, the Fox News report has fueled public skepticism, particularly in border states like Texas, where local officials have long criticized federal immigration policies. Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. Guerra has highlighted the strain on local resources, noting that cartels profit significantly from human smuggling, charging up to $1,500 per migrant. The report’s timing, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, has amplified its political impact, with figures like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis condemning the administration for keeping state leaders in the dark. Meanwhile, Democratic mayors in cities like New York and Chicago, which have received significant migrant inflows, have largely avoided commenting on the flights, focusing instead on Texas’s busing programs.
As the debate intensifies, the Fox News exposé underscores the deep divisions over immigration policy in the United States. While the administration insists that its actions are lawful and necessary, the lack of transparency continues to erode public confidence. With millions of migrants awaiting entry through programs like CHNV, the controversy over these flights is unlikely to subside, casting a long shadow over the nation’s approach to immigration and border security.
