Is There a Crisis at the Southern U.S. Border?

            The Biden administration has proclaimed for months that there is no crisis at the southern U.S. border. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently claimed that the southern border “is secure” when he spoke at the Aspen Security Forum. He was asked about the southern border and the more than 200,000 migrant encounters per month for the past four months. Even though Border Patrol agents are dealing with the greatest number of migrants in history, Mayorkas considered the situation to be a “historic challenge” – but not a crisis.

            Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz recently admitted under oath that there is a crisis at the border. According to Chris Enloe at The Blaze, the State of Florida acted to stop illegal immigration last year when attorneys for the state filed lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. 

In March 2021, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody sued the Biden administration over its immigration policies. A second lawsuit was filed in September 2021, this time over the administration’s catch-and-release policy. And last December, Florida sued the Biden administration for not complying with FOIA requests.

            Ortiz was questioned under oath for a deposition related to the lawsuits on July 28. He testified that there are “no consequences” administered to migrants entering the United States illegally since Joe Biden became President of the United States. The lack of “consequences” encourages migrants to come across the border illegally.

Attorney: “Why is it important to detain and remove demographics that are amendable to the Border Patrol?”

Ruiz: “You want to make sure you have consequences.”

Attorney: “OK. And if you don’t have consequences, what is likely to happen?”

Ruiz: “In my experience, we have seen increases when there are no consequences.”

Attorney: “OK. So, if migrant populations believe that they’re going – there are not going to be consequences, more of them will come to the border. Is that what you’re saying?”

Ruiz: “There is an assumption that if migrant populations are told that there is a potential that they may be released, that yes, you can see increases.”

Attorney: “So, it will increase at an exponential rate. Is that what is being suggested here?”

Ruiz: “Well, I do think it will increase, yeah.”

            According to Enloe, Ruiz admitted other highlights during the deposition. He agreed that there is a “crisis” at the southern U.S. border and that “unprecedented numbers of aliens are illegally entering the United States right now.” He also admitted that the numbers of migrants coming to the southern U.S. border have increased under Biden. He also stated that America is “less safe” because of the border crisis.

Ruiz is the first member of the Biden administration to admit that there is a crisis at the border. Will the dam of denial break with more administrators admitting a crisis, or will Ruiz lose his job?