Recently during a field hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee, U.S. Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz admitted the federal government does not have "operational control" of the borders. His testimony directly contradicted previous testimony by Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Ortiz also agreed with a committee member that it was a mistake for the Biden administration to shut down construction of the border wall; revealed that the number of "got-aways" (those who cross illegally but aren't apprehended) is much higher than reported; and confirmed fentanyl seizures at ports of entry have doubled since October 1, 2022 – which contradicts Democratic claims the fentanyl crisis isn't connected to the border crisis. (See related article)
AFN spoke with Todd Bensman, senior national security fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). He contends Joe Biden threw away the most secure border in modern history when he took office, leaving America increasingly open and vulnerable to a vast and complex set of threats from outside its borders.
"It's the most voluminous mass-migration crisis in American history, far beyond anything within the American experience," says Bensman. "[And] I believe it's the worst mass-migration crisis in world history. I'm not aware of this many millions of people moving all at once in a very short period of time, even in the world wars."
Unlike President Biden, the CIS fellow has seen the migration firsthand. "I've been down there [to the border]. I've seen it," he shares. "It's just huge cities moving over the border. It looks like kind of a D-Day invasion almost."
And Bensman predicts most, if not all of those crossing will remain in the U.S. permanently.
"This is a permanent mass-migration. Nobody's leaving, probably ever," he states. "This is an irreversible mistake. We just can't get them out; there's just too many. They will be in our public schools, in our criminal justice system [and be a] U.S. citizen tax burden."
Spike in Chinese nationals
Among those coming across the southern border illegally are groups of Chinese nationals – and that greatly concerns an immigration enforcement advocacy organization.
The U.S. Border Patrol reports in this fiscal year, more than 1,660 Chinese nationals have been apprehended – 91% of them single adults. Customs and Border Protection reports that apprehensions of Chinese are up 800% compared to the same time last year. The Border Patrol says many of them begin their journey in Ecuador, which is one of the few countries that doesn't require tourist visas for Chinese citizens.
Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), expresses his concern that some of those Chinese immigrants are government plants.
"The Chinese government is engaging in massive espionage efforts against the United States – particularly in the area of industrial espionage, but other areas as well," he explains. "They've also been taking advantage of our student visa programs to move people into the United States. So, we certainly have to recognize that there is a hostile regime in Beijing … and we need to act accordingly."
And Mehlman argues the fact that so many of the male Chinese immigrants being apprehended are single disqualifies them as asylum seekers.
"Single male migrants – that is consistent with the pattern that we're seeing from all over," says the FAIR spokesman. "The people coming across the southern border, regardless of where they're coming from, are predominately working-age men. [That] is a further indication that they're not legitimate asylum seekers but rather economic refugees – and the Chinese are no different in that respect."
Mehlman adds that the number of Chinese entering the U.S. from Canada has increased as well.
Editor's note: Todd Bensman is author of "Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in American History."
