Former President Barack Obama’s Border Patrol chief blamed the disagreement surrounding the border wall on identity politics, during a Friday night interview with Brian Kilmeade on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Mark Morgan was on Carlson’s show to discuss President Donald Trump’s decision to declare a state of emergency in order to reallocate funds toward constructing a wall along the southern border. Trump received $1.375 billion from the bill that he signed, and intends to dedicate an around $6.5 billion more from other agencies. (RELATED: Trump’s Declaring A National Emergency — Here’s What You Need To Know)
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“Mark Morgan is the former head of the border patrol. And he’s heard the rhetoric, but he knows the reality. Mark, is the president making up an emergency?” Kilmeade asked.
“Absolutely not,” Morgan responded. “Brian, this is part of the frustration for those of us from a law enforcement, border security perspective. How many more statistics do we have to provide? How many more factually based examples do we have to provide? How many more angel families have to stand in front of some of these individuals before they finally say, ‘Yeah, okay, this is real.’ It’s just incredulous.”
“So when people say to you the drugs are coming through the port of entry, let’s use some technology to crack down there. There is no problem with drugs in the middle of the country and other areas now populated. What do you say?” Kilmeade asked. (RELATED: Obama’s Border Patrol Chief Fights Back Against Media, Defends Trump)
“Well, that’s right. A couple of things you hit on, Brian, are spot on. So, first of all, look at the take now. Sixty thousand [people] are coming in a month illegally into this country. This year so far, 62 caravans of 100 or more – 13 in all of last year, 2,000 in one single day this week,” Morgan answered. “So the numbers are climbing, but it’s manufactured, right? The other thing, the other argument on in between the port of entry is an absolute false narrative. Sixty percent of the southwest border does not have infrastructure, technology and personnel.”
“Again, what it means to me is this is absolutely driven on identity politics. The experts have spoken both on ICE, both on United States border patrol and CBP and they have told Congress what they need to protect the borders for the security and safety of this country, Brian,” he continued. “And they have not just ignored it, they have discounted everything that they have said. Unfortunately, to me, I have only drawn one conclusion. It’s based on identity politics.”
