While it has taken a bit of a backseat to other news, unjustifiably in my opinion, the crisis at the border continues to only worsen. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are crossing a year, with the Biden administration doing absolutely nothing to stem the tide.
On Tuesday, that was illustrated after Bill Melugin released a video showing the federal government releasing illegal immigrants into the interior, where they were then put on planes bound for various cities across the country. There appears to be no real system in place to keep track of or litigate their cases.
But as bad as things appear to those of us reading about this stuff from our living rooms, imagine how the Border Patrol agents actually tasked with policing the border feel. They must be incredibly frustrated that their efforts are not only being wasted but are being actively inhibited.
Well, we don’t have to imagine anymore because leaked audio of a meeting between DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas and CBP agents in the Yuma sector offers a clear window into the tensions. This comes via Julio Rosas over at Townhall.
In an audio recording of his remarks to the agents, which was obtained by Townhall, Mayorkas conceded the massive influx of people illegally crossing into the sector, along with the rest of the southern sectors, has not been easy.
“The job has not gotten any easier over the last few months and it was very, very difficult throughout 2021. I know apprehending families and kids is not what you signed up to do. And now we got a composition that is changing even more with Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and the like, it just gets more difficult,” Mayorkas said in the recording.
Mayorkas said DHS is trying to work with the Mexican government to stop the flow of immigrants before they reach the U.S. border.
“I know the policies of this administration are not particularly popular with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but that’s the reality and let’s see what we can do within that framework,” Mayorkas added.
Mayorkas’ honesty about the unpopularity of his administration’s policies is a welcome development, but it begs the question of why he is demanding the CBP operate within what we know is a failing framework? Is this about politics or doing things that could actually help the situation? As head of DHS, it would seem to be Mayorkas’ job to make the necessary changes to secure the border and not anger and antagonize those who are putting their lives on the line daily to do so.
Yet, Mayorkas seems to suggest things are out of his hands, which is an incredible admission. One, it shows how tense things have become, to the point where Biden and his handlers are allowing an abject humanitarian crisis to continue for political purposes. Two, it illustrates how much of a coward Mayorkas is. If he sees the administration’s policies aren’t working and are causing harm, he should be speaking out and resigning, not whispering to CBP agents behind the scenes (he didn’t know this audio would go public) to suck it up and keep failing. This is clearly a man with no integrity at all, which isn’t a surprise given his political history.
Mayorkas’ lack of any real answer for the current catastrophe led one agent to chastize and turn his back on the DHS head.
According to sources present at the meeting and the audio recording, the agent who asked the question then turned his back on Mayorkas.
“Let me just say, you can turn your back on me but I won’t turn my back on you,” Mayorkas said. The agent replied Mayorkas turned his back on the agents first.
Unfortunately, as per the trend with this administration, Mayorkas tried to make everything about himself, citing that he gets death threats when an agent complained of being demonized. Later, he snapped back at the agent who originally criticized him, citing his supposed superior resume.
Mayorkas can be then heard going back to the first agent who turned his back on him and asked how long he had been part of Border Patrol. When the agent replied with 16 years, Mayorkas said he was prosecuting death penalty cases in California, “You don’t know anything about me.”
The agent said he knows Mayorkas has had a long career, but “you said you’re going to change it, the only that’s changed is it’s gotten worse.”
Frankly, what Mayorkas was doing in California is completely irrelevant. What these agents care about is not risking their lives for a job they aren’t even being allowed to do properly. Unfortunately, the CBP is being run by a man named Raul Ortiz, who was put in place by Joe Biden. Instead, of caring about the concerns of his agents, he blamed them for daring to hold Mayorkas responsible.
One exasperated agent told Mayorkas the situation in the Yuma Sector was much better under former President Donald Trump because “everyone was doing their jobs.”
In the recording, Border Chief Patrol Raul Ortiz did not seem happy with the questions being asked because, according to him, it came off as griping instead of coming to Mayorkas with solutions.
Pro-tip: It is not the job of field agents to “offer solutions” to the head of DHS, otherwise, what is the point of Mayorkas having his position? Still, many CBP agents have complained of being sandbagged by Washington, forced into impossible situations. Want a solution? How about not doing that?
Unfortunately for the rank and file at CBP, they are going to have to ride this out or move on to a different line of work. There is no indication the Biden administration is going to change course.
🚨 🚨🚨Gov’t contractor talking about the secret midnight flights from southern border into Westchester (NY) Airport:
— Rob Astorino (@RobAstorino) January 27, 2022
“If it gets out… the government is betraying the American people.”
Stop lying to us.
Secure the border.
Uphold rule of law.https://t.co/Gd7UmTz7Ct pic.twitter.com/vAyGO1GvkQ