Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas channeled more of the same willful ignorance that's typified the Biden administration's handling of the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border during a press conference in Del Rio, Texas, on Monday.
More than 13,000 illegal immigrants, including many from Haiti, crossing the Rio Grande to illegally enter the United States in recent days has led to the creation of an unofficial refugee camp as thousands of migrants huddle under Del Rio's International Bridge.
The makeshift camp goes on for a long time underneath the bridge in Del Rio. pic.twitter.com/DTnK7Fu0nR
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 19, 2021
Secretary Mayorkas made a visit to survey the situation and see what Department of Homeland Security personnel are doing amid the latest surge in illegal immigrants, but he continued to minimize the magnitude of the crisis.
Townhall's Julio Rosas, who's been on the ground covering Biden's border crisis over the last several months, asked Mayorkas about the disconnect between his public statements calling the surge in illegal immigrants a challenge and private comments admitting the situation along the border is unsustainable and a crisis. When Julio asked Mayorkas whether he would publicly admit the existence of a crisis at the border, Mayorkas cut him off.
"I'm going to stop you right there. Let me just say very clearly. We are focused on meeting the challenge, we are focused on the mission," Mayorkas said without answering Julio's question or admitting publicly that the situation at the border is an unsustainable crisis.
I asked Sec. Mayorkas if he will publicly admit the situation at the border is a crisis since he was recorded last month privately admitting there is a crisis and it’s unsustainable.
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 20, 2021
He did not, instead saying DHS is focused on “meeting the challenge.” pic.twitter.com/TmYoxUaqsM
As Julio has witnessed firsthand over the weekend, the situation in Del Rio is "now the worst part of the border crisis" he's seen this year.
At the makeshift camp under the international bridge in Del Rio and I can tell you the pictures and videos don’t do it justice. It’s 100 degrees out and there’s around 12,000 still here. This is now the worst part of the border crisis I’ve seen this year. pic.twitter.com/ugcLSEGysK
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 19, 2021
Despite Secretary Mayorkas' visit to what he won't admit is a crisis situation, President Biden and border czar Kamala Harris have continued to turn a blind eye to the plight of border states and the Americans who call them home, as Julio covered here.
Del Rio Mayor Lozano (D) says he still has not heard directly from Biden or Harris after getting a briefing with DHS Sec. Mayorkas today.
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 19, 2021
He feels the White House needs to be transparent about the border crisis in real time. pic.twitter.com/AdGOMHxNDH
Anyone with eyes would say that the currently unfolding crisis in Del Rio is exactly that — a crisis. As Julio has witnessed and reported from the border (more than can be said of Biden and Harris), the situation is far more dire than Biden, Harris, or Mayorkas care to publicly admit.
What some of the 60 porta potties look like for the 12,000 migrants that are still under bridge in Del Rio. The smell is pretty bad too. pic.twitter.com/KCHCoG8PLd
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 19, 2021