Border Patrol Chief admits U.S. lacks operational control at southern border

This Wednesday, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz appeared before a House of Representatives hearing and affirmed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) does not have operational control over the country's southern border as Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed last year.

Ortiz spoke before Congress about the border crisis that is occurring in the United States and said that unlike what Mayorkas said, DHS does not have control over all illegal entries into the country, including entries by illegal aliens, terrorists, materials to produce narcotics and other contraband.

During the hearing, a video was played in which Mayorkas affirmed that there was indeed operational control of the border, and once the audiovisual material was finished, Ortiz was asked if he believed that the Homeland Security Secretary was lying.

"About ten years ago, we used operational control as a measuring stick of our effectiveness along the southwest border. My new strategy is geared towards mission advantage," the Border Patrol chief responded.

Ortiz explained that the current migratory flow "represents challenges" and acknowledged that in some areas there is even a "crisis situation".

The head of the border agency also spoke about the problem they have faced when it comes to "repatriating" people who cross illegally into the country with the Biden Administration. The State Department has allowed the "return agreements" for detained migrants to expire.

"Every policy that allows us to repatriate or reduce the flow of migrants is certainly going to increase our operational effectiveness and our ability to control that border," he said.

Ortiz spoke about the importance of having policies where there are consequences for people who cross the border illegally rather than detaining them and simply releasing them as has occurred during Biden's term as president.

"You have to have capacity, and you have to have consequences," he said, stressing that border agents have a job and the policies in place must ensure that they continue to carry out that job.

"Their job is to detain or remove illegal immigrants," he commented.