Border Patrol agents and the force’s union leader aren’t convinced that President Joe Biden’s expected visit to the southern border will yield anything productive or expose him to the true depth of the crisis, they told the Daily Caller News Foundation Wednesday.
Biden revealed Wednesday his intent to go to the border “to see what’s going on” and hopefully observe “peace and security.” The president last visited the border in 2008 when he drove by it, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in 2021. (RELATED: Southern Border Apprehensions Shatter Previous December Record, Former Senior Official Says)
”After two years, it is past time Biden come to the border to survey first hand the chaos he created,” National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd told the DCNF.
“While I expect President Biden will deflect and possibly lie about his failures, similar to what both of his White House Press Secretaries have done, I am happy that certain media outlets have attempted to present the truth to the American people and be the watchdogs necessary to bring about positive change, which is undoubtedly the catalyst for this visit,” Judd said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered a record of more than 2.3 million migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022.
JUST NOW:
Biden on visiting the border: He wants to see “peace and security” and is “going to see what’s going on” in a visit next week.He said he’ll give give a speech on it tomorrow.
— Diana Glebova (@DianaGlebova) January 4, 2023
Biden recently told reporters that he had “more important things” to do than visit the border.
“Hopefully our country will get a positive outcome from the President’s visit, but I won’t hold my breath,” Judd said.
It’s also possible that Biden’s potential visit won’t result in him seeing the full extent of the border crisis, two agents, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak, told the DCNF.
Border Patrol will likely clear their facilities and release illegal immigrants ahead of Biden’s visit, the two agents, who are stationed along the southern border, told the DCNF.
“That’s what they always do. Anytime some brass from DC comes, the tents get emptied, everyone gets released/processed expeditiously to give the illusion that it’s under control,” one of the agents said.
If Biden indeed tours the facilities, they will “undoubtedly” be scrubbed of any indications of chaos, Judd added.
When Biden sees the facilities and has candid conversations with rank-and-file Border Patrol agents, he will be able to fully understand the overwhelming situation, former acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told the DCNF.
“In order to truly understand the depths of the crisis, I encourage the President to visit the overcrowded facilities and engage in real conversations with Border Patrol agents. Under no circumstances should facilities be sanitized or conversations be scripted,” Wolf, who served under the Trump administration, said.
Neither DHS nor the White House responded to requests for comment.
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