Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas once again claimed the U.S.-Mexico border is secured despite the fact this past October saw the most encounters of illegal immigrants compared to the same time last year.
"I've heard you in the Judiciary Committee recently, in the summer, testify that the border is secured. Secretary Mayorkas, do you continue to maintain that the border is secured?" Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) asked during a committee hearing on Tuesday.
"Yes, and we are working day in and day out to enhance its security, Congressman," Mayorkas replied.
.@RepDanBishop: Sec. Mayorkas, do you continue to maintain that the southern border is secured?
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 15, 2022
Mayorkas: Yes, and we are working day in and day out to enhance its security. pic.twitter.com/YePqcAXB4N
Mayorkas was asked multiple times during the House Homeland Security Committee if the border was secured, with Mayoras repeatedly stating the border is secured.
Rep. Pfluger confronts Mayorkas over border crisis:
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) November 15, 2022
"How can you say the border is secure? The American people aren't buying it." pic.twitter.com/59KFSinB35
For October, the first fiscal month of 2023, Border Patrol encountered 230,678 people illegally crossing the southern border. In fiscal year 2022, that number was 164,837 and in fiscal year 2021 the number was 71,929, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. During this past October, there were around 86,000 known gotaways and 27 migrant deaths. Should the illegal traffic continue to keep that pace, there could over one million gotaways and three million total encounters for fiscal year 2023.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) officially declared there is an invasion at their border on Tuesday due to the continuing historic numbers of illegal border crossings.