Earlier in the week, we relayed the stunning report that an unprecedented 11,000-plus illegal immigrants were encountered at the southern border in the span of just 24 hours. Sources told Fox's Griff Jenkins that they could not recall a single-day number that high. It just happened again. Jenkins reported yesterday that "CBP sources confirm to FOX News there were more than 11,000 total migrant encounters (BP & OFO) at the SW border -- marking a second time in a week to hit the unprecedented threshold again."
According to former ICE acting director Tom Homan, the average monthly encounters number under the Trump administration was 44,000 (he also noted that under the previous administration, the overwhelming majority of these illegal crossers weren't released into the US, unlike under Biden). That means that the illegal entries over just two days this week totaled approximately half the monthly crossings under Trump. This is as bad as it's been, averaging roughly 10,000 apprehensions per day for the majority of the week:
More to this… CBP sources also say past 5 day total nearly 50,000 migrant encounters… with 25,000 in custody this morning @FoxNews https://t.co/ATunPLFA28
— Griff Jenkins (@GriffJenkins) September 27, 2023
Fox colleague Bill Melugin points out that the impotent messaging from Border Patrol to would-be illegal immigrants obviously isn't working. The words and theoretically true, based on the policies, but they're not remotely credible in practice -- and everyone knows it:
This is true. But most of the people crossing illegally, despite being ineligible to stay in the US, are released into the country - and deportation numbers are a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer numbers coming across. ICE doesn’t have manpower to find & remove them all,… https://t.co/OMJtHrUTRN
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) September 27, 2023
No one respects the rules and laws because the US government isn't enforcing them. The results are speaking loudly and clearly for themselves, every single day:
This was taken by a passing motorist in Mexico. The migrants have disembarked from a freight train and are marching the final 25 miles to the border in Eagle Pass.
— Randy Clark (@RandyClarkBBTX) September 27, 2023
This is what your Border Patrol will be dealing with all day. A group this size will take 3-4 days to fully… pic.twitter.com/qu7mr5h8w1
Here is the Border Patrol Chief tallying the criminal encounters at the border over the first 11 months of the fiscal year (excluding this month, which will likely be the busiest). This data is very concerning for two reasons:
From October 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023, Criminal Encounters by USBP:
— Chief Jason Owens (@USBPChief) September 27, 2023
- 12,659 Subjects w/ Criminal History
- 852 Subjects with Warrants
- 564 Gang Members
- 467 Weapons Seized
- 53,160 Rounds of Ammunition
Source: (Current as of Aug 31, 2023)https://t.co/xQOfSYgr4e pic.twitter.com/8yLk42Ca2S
The first cause for concern is the numbers themselves. They're prima facie disturbing. The second, and more serious concern, is what these stats don't tell us. They don't account for the tens of thousands of monthly known got-aways, who aren't apprehended or vetted at all. Per Homan, the total number of these got-aways on Joe Biden's watch is approaching 1.8 million. One point eight million. Officials at the border will tell you that people pay the cartels a premium to evade capture and become got-aways. While most illegal immigrants are incentivized to get encountered, processed, and released, Dangerous criminals, gang members, traffickers and terrorists don't want to get caught, so they fork over much larger sums of money to avoid that fate. If the numbers above represent the people who were caught within (nearly) the last year, God knows who have been among the got-aways -- a group that's disproportionately and powerfully motivated to elude US officials?
Think of the drugs and their destructive power. And think of the risks to the safety of our men and women futilely trying to do their jobs, with their hands tied behind their backs by the powers-that-be. In case you missed it, I'll leave you with an impassioned, righteous rant by Alabama's junior Senator about the human misery Biden's policies are creating -- along with another example of why it's inhumane and anti-compassionate to keep incentivizing this rolling catastrophe. "Compassion" preening should be unavailable to the failing leaders responsible for this:
"That's not the American dream. That's an American NIGHTMARE!"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 27, 2023
This testimony from @SenKatieBritt about the horrors occurring as a result of Joe Biden's open border policies is a must-see. pic.twitter.com/szT6nkZWzb
Del Rio Agents apprehended a group of undocumented migrants and due to the elements, 2 of the undocumented migrants began to go into shock from severe dehydration. Border Patrol EMT’s provided emergency aid and undoubtedly saved the lives of those 2 individuals. Great job! #usbp pic.twitter.com/xSiaG4PUdL
— Acting Chief Patrol Agent Juan G. Bernal (@USBPChiefDRT) September 27, 2023
