As ‘Border Czar,’ Kamala Harris Never Spoke To Chiefs In Charge Of Securing Border
Vice President Kamala Harris never spoke to either chief of U.S. Border Patrol to serve under the Biden administration as 'Border Czar.'Vice President Kamala Harris never spoke to either chief of U.S. Border Patrol to serve under the Biden administration as 'Border Czar.'But how? Former Border Patrol chief makes stunning admission about Biden, Harris, and the border crisis: 'That's a problem'
Raul Ortiz served as chief of Border Patrol for nearly two years, holding the position from August 2021 until his retirement last summer.
Shockingly, Ortiz never talked to President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris a single time during his tenure as leader of the Border Patrol, despite serving during the height of the border crisis.
"I've never had one conversation with the president or the vice president, for that matter," Ortiz said in a new interview. "I was the chief of the Border Patrol. I commanded 21,000 people. That's a problem."
— (@)
Ortiz, moreover, said he believes the Biden administration has "most definitely" sent "mixed messages" to migrants.
"We need to make sure that Central America, South America, Mexico, that those regions understand that if you pay a smuggler and you cross in between the ports of entry and you do not have a legitimate claim to some sort of asylum benefit, you're gonna be sent back," Ortiz said.
While he did not specify the content of those "mixed messages," Ortiz's response indicates that he believes the Biden administration virtue-signaled its way into the migrant crisis with rhetoric and executive action — like rescinding many Trump-era immigration policies — that communicated to migrants around the world the U.S. is open and willing to accept them.
The problem with Ortiz's admission is obvious: Biden and Harris, the "border czar," cannot provide effective oversight of the border crisis management if they do not communicate with key on-the-ground leaders.
Ortiz retired last year several months after he publicly contradicted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who for years insisted the border is "secure." But that's not true, Ortiz told lawmakers in March 2023.
When asked by House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R) if border agents have "operational control" of the border, Ortiz confirmed, "No, sir."
"About 10 years ago, we used operational control as a measuring stick of our effectiveness along the southwest border," Ortiz explained. "My new strategy is geared towards mission advantage."
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Ex-Border Patrol Chief Says Biden, Harris Never Once Called Him
'I've never had one conversation with the president or the vice president,' said Raul Ortiz, Biden's former head of U.S. Border Patrol.Border Patrol chief makes telling admission about Biden's immigration policies: 'Increases when there are no consequences'
Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz admitted under oath last month that migrants face "no consequences" for entering the United States illegally under President Joe Biden.
What is the background?
Last year, Florida filed several lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies that handle immigration.
In March 2021, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody sued the Biden administration over its immigration policies. A second lawsuit was filed in September 2021, this time over the administration's catch-and-release policy. And last December, Florida sued the Biden administration for not complying with FOIA requests.
What did Ortiz say?
On July 28, Ortiz testified under oath for a deposition related to the lawsuits that a lack of "consequences" under Biden entices migrants to come to the U.S.
Attorney: "Why is it important to detain and remove demographics that are amendable to the Border Patrol?"
Ruiz: "You want to make sure you have consequences."
Attorney: "OK. And if you don't have consequences, what is likely to happen?"
Ruiz: "In my experience, we have seen increases when there are no consequences."
Attorney: "OK. So, if migrant populations believe that they're going — there are not going to be consequences, more of them will come to the border. Is that what you're saying?"
Ruiz: "There is an assumption that if migrant populations are told that there is a potential that they may be released, that yes, you can see increases."
Attorney: "So, it will increase at an exponential rate. Is that what is being suggested here?"
Ruiz: "Well, I do think it will increase, yeah."
The deposition also highlighted several other telling admissions.
For example, Ortiz agreed the southern U.S. border is experiencing a "crisis"; he agreed that an "unprecedented numbers of aliens are illegally entering the United States right now"; and he agreed that the number of migrants trying to enter the U.S. illegally under Biden has increased.
Ortiz also said the border crisis is making America "less safe."
Anything else?
The border crisis has raged on despite less media coverage and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' assertion that the border is "secure."
In fact, migrant apprehensions for fiscal year 2022 broke a new record in June and are on track to exceed 2 million by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
CNN anchor expresses shock over Border Patrol chief's prediction on border crisis: 'That's a huge number'
CNN host Brianna Keilar expressed shock Friday over Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz's prediction that hundreds of thousands of migrants could be intercepted at the southern United States border over the next 45 days.
What happened?
The border crisis may not be front page news anymore. But that does not mean the situation has improved. In fact, Ortiz told CNN in an interview that his agency is preparing to apprehend a staggering 8,000 migrants per day.
Ortiz told CNN that figure "will probably become the norm over the next 30 to 45 days." He added that he is currently "managing a flow that's significant," but is under 8,000 per day, thus the influx of migrants is "going to put additional strain" on his resources and agents.
As CNN noted, the Border Patrol apprehended — at times — 8,000 migrants in a single day in 2021. But that number has never been the norm.
Keilar reported on Ortiz's remarks Friday morning. She said, "U.S. Officials are scrambling to prepare for a record-breaking surge of migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border this spring. In a CNN exclusive interview, the chief of Border Patrol says he is bracing for a staggering 8,000 apprehensions a day.
"That is a huge number," Keilar exclaimed.
Indeed. If Ortiz is correct, that means Border Patrol agents could apprehend more than 350,000 migrants over the next 45 days, an unfathomable number of people, considering more than 800,000 migrants have already been apprehended in the fiscal year that began in October 2021.
CNN Reports On Biden’s Border Crisis: “Record-Breaking" "Staggering" www.youtube.com
CNN reporter Priscilla Alvarez explained why Ortiz's prediction is highly concerning.
"So there’s a couple reasons why the concern is right now: number one, typically, border arrests go up in the warmer months and we’re heading into the spring so we’re already starting to see that happen," Alvarez said.
"Number two, we are waiting for a decision on a Trump-era pandemic emergency rule. What that rule did is allow authorities to turn people away at the border. We are waiting next week for a CDC decision whether that stays in effect. If it doesn’t, that means we go back to the traditional protocols, which would be releasing migrants, sometimes monitoring them when that happens, detaining them, or removing them if they don’t have an asylum claim," she explained. "But that takes processing, that takes time.
Compounding the problem, according to Alvarez, is that Border Patrol resources are already "over capacity."
Today's top stories
www.theblaze.com
thefederalist.com
freebeacon.com