The U.S. border crisis continues to raise concerns among Republicans. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned Tuesday (March 9) that Biden‘s lax illegal immigration policies could have a major impact on national security and that the southern border could become “a great way for terrorists to get into the United States.
In an interview with Fox’s “Hannity” on Tuesday, Graham accused Biden of overturning former President Trump‘s tough border policies to crack down on illegal immigration, leading to a recent surge in immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Despite a week of freezing weather in February, the Border Patrol apprehended more than 100,000 (101,535) illegal border crossers at the southern border, according to former Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Captain Jaeson Jones. Another 26,000 evaded capture.
Graham said Trump’s policies are being replaced by those of the Biden Administration, and those illegal immigrants will never leave once they set foot in the United States.
“By this summer, hundreds of thousands of people (illegal immigrants) will be flocking here. It’s a humanitarian crisis. It’s going to be an economic crisis for our border cities and ultimately a national security crisis because they’re children today, but they could easily be terrorists tomorrow.” Graham said.
This year, the United States will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Graham warned, “Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS) would like nothing better than to attack us again to show that they are still alive and well. The current insecurity at our borders is a great way for terrorists to get into our country.”
The White House has been reluctant to label the current U.S. border situation as a “crisis,” but Graham warned that unless Biden implements positive changes and acknowledges the severity of the situation, “the worst is yet to come.
“By late spring and early summer, you’ll see countless families forming caravans (heading to the U.S.) because the word has gotten out in Central America that they (the Biden administration) are changing the policy that Trump has set, that if you (illegal immigrants) get to the (U.S.-Mexico) border and you turn yourself in, you’ll stay in the U.S., not Mexico.” Graham said.
“Unless they (the Biden administration) reverse that policy, unless they go back to the policy of (keeping illegal immigrants) in Mexico, the worst is yet to come.” He said.
According to officials and internal assessments seen by Reuters, the Mexican government fears the new U.S. administration’s asylum policy is spurring illegal immigration and creating business for organized crime.
“They (illegal immigrants) see him (Biden) as the immigration president, so a lot of people think they will arrive in the United States.” Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said March 1.
“We need to work together to regulate the flow (of illegal immigrants).” He said.
A Mexican official familiar with the dynamics of illegal immigration told Reuters that organized crime has changed its modus operandi “since the day Biden took office” and is now showing an “unprecedented” level of sophistication. Assessments show that this includes briefing clients on the latest immigration rules, using technology to hide from authorities and disguising smuggling operations as travel.
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