Border Patrol Chief Says US Doesn't Have 'Operational Control' of Southern Border
AllSides Summary
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told lawmakers Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security no longer has operational control of the southern border, and requested more resources as an influx of migrants continues.
The Details: In a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Ortiz described "tremendous strain on Border Patrol resources" and requested more funds to hire employees who process migrants into the country. He also indicated support for reviving the "Remain in Mexico" policy and other stricter immigration rules.
Key Quotes: "Does DHS have operational control of our entire border?" Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) asked Ortiz. "No, sir," Ortiz responded. "Now, unlike in previous surges, we are seeing traffic including large groups, spread across multiple locations, instead of just one or two specific sectors," Ortiz continued.
For Context: After asking Ortiz about operational control, Green then played a clip of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas from 2022 contradicting Ortiz and saying the U.S. did have control of the border. The U.S. has had record-high levels of migration over the last year, though the number of encounters at the southern border fell by over 100,000 from December to February as the U.S. looks to expel more unauthorized migrants.
How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the hearing. Right-rated sources tended to focus more on Ortiz's comments than left- and center-rated sources did. Some suggested the hearing foreshadowed a reckoning for the Biden administration's immigration policies.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Homeland Republicans to turn up the heat on Mayorkas after Border Patrol chief’s ‘earth-shattering’ testimony
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee are looking to turn up the heat on DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in the wake of bombshell testimony from Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz that the chairman of the committee described as "earth-shattering."
Ortiz had been the main witness at the committee’s field hearing in McAllen, Texas, on Wednesday and had bucked the administration on a number of issues. Ortiz told lawmakers that he disagreed with President Biden’s call to stop wall construction, said there were policies in place that were holding agents back from...
From the Center
Border chief asks House panel to boost migrant processing
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told House Republicans on Wednesday that his agency needs more technology and resources, as the number of migrants arriving at the southwest border “places tremendous strain” on the system.
Testifying at the House Homeland Security Committee’s field hearing in south Texas — which committee Democrats boycotted — Ortiz said that the current flow of migrants to the U.S-Mexico border “represents challenges, and in some areas, a crisis situation.”
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From the Left
Border chief disputes DHS has ‘operational control’ of the entire US southern border
US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz on Wednesday said the US does not have “operational control” of the southern border, contradicting a stance previously taken by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Mayorkas has previously maintained in testimony before lawmakers that the department has operational control of the border, though he’s been more ambiguous in interviews, citing the statutory definition and saying he’s trying to “achieve it.” Mayorkas has often served as the focus of Republicans’ criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of border security.
“Does DHS have operational control...
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