On Wednesday, an Arizona sheriff stated that the current border crisis is worse than what they have seen in the Obama years, as the Department of Homeland Security indicated that the migrant surge at the border is expected to hit a 20 year high.
Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb discusses a significant increase in single adult and unaccompanied minor migrant crossing the border in a Fox & Friends interview on Wednesday.
🚨🚨🚨 Arizona Sheriff says the halting of Trump’s border wall has allowed Mexican cartels to smuggle people and drugs through gaps in the now-abandoned border construction sites in alarming numbers. https://t.co/hOKclPivRS
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) March 17, 2021
Lamb stated that it is “ridiculous” and “unfair” that the illegal immigrants crossing the border have not been tested for COVID-19 but were able to enter the country. Meanwhile, schools and businesses in most parts of the country remain closed.
Lamb said, “[During the Obama administration] it was like the Wild West out there in the desert on the south end of our county and we’re back to that again,” Lamb said.
He added that almost every time they go out they find at least 20 people. The sheriff added, “Last Wednesday, we had 49 apprehensions in my county. So this is just as bad as it was back in the Obama days, probably worse and on target to be worse.”
Lamb also accused the Biden administration of playing the “blame game” as they continued to target former President Trump’s policies as the reason for the surge.
.@PressSec on the border: "The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system." pic.twitter.com/XSgBiknNj3
— The Hill (@thehill) March 16, 2021
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called the influx of illegal immigrants at the southern border a “big problem,” blaming the Trump administration for an “unworkable system.” This blame game happened weeks after the Biden administration refused to call it a “crisis.”
Psaki said during a press briefing, “We recognize this is a big problem. The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system and, like any other problem, we are going to do all we can to solve it.”
When Psaki was asked if the Biden administration is able to handle the massive surge of migrants arriving at the border, Psaki insisted that they “certainly do.”
However, the statement made by the White House press secretary is contrary to the claims made by the sheriff working at the border.
Lamb claims that Biden’s move to halt the construction of Trump’s border wall has allowed the Mexican cartel to smuggle people and drugs through the unfinished gaps in the now-abandoned border construction.
Just last month, February, the southern border of the country encountered up to 20% from the month before, and a concerning 174% increase in number from the same month last year. This puts the current migrant encounter numbers at their highest point since June 2019.
President Biden is putting Americans last. He has invited a massive surge of migrants to come across our border during a global pandemic.
We need to provide support and resources to law enforcement agents who are working tirelessly to ensure our safety. (2/2)
— Scott DesJarlais (@DesJarlaisTN04) March 17, 2021
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas addmitted that the situation at the border is “difficult”, and stated that the country is on track to encounter more migrants than it has in the past 20 years.
In a statement, Mayorkas said, “The situation at the southwest border is difficult. We are working around the clock to manage it and we will continue to do so. That is our job. We are making progress and we are executing on our plan. It will take time and we will not waver in our commitment to succeed.”
