Former US Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott has warned cartels are “smuggling in big threats” via illegal migration.
He spoke to Jacob Rees-Mogg on GBN America about the crippling situation at the US-Mexico border.
Illegal crossings will be a key battleground at the US election in November with Joe Biden under pressure to tackle the issue.
Scott told Rees-Mogg that border enforcement problems extend further than just immigration and there are concerted efforts to “overwhelm law enforcement”.
Rodney Scott is concerned about instances of criminality at the southern border
GB NEWS / REUTERS
“That’s the real issue”, he added.
Rees-Mogg then asked Scott about Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the southwest border and whether doing so would quell criminality.
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“That is 100 per cent accurate”, he said.
“It’s basically like any security model. If you’re having a public event, you use barriers, fences, walls to try to force people to go through your checkpoints.
“Those are our ports of entry. That was a strategy by not just the Trump administration, but the United States have been building for over 30 years.
“The current administration decided to go a different route and not really focus on deterrence and it hasn’t really worked out so well.”
Migrants attempt to cross in to the U.S. from Mexico at the border December 17, 2023 in Jacumba Hot Springs, California.Getty
An ex-US Border Patrol chief gave GBN America an exclusive insight into the troubles at the southern border
GB NEWS
Rees-Mogg waded in to say Scott’s comments are an “understatement” and pointed out the Biden administration’s “U-turn” with its proposed border bill.
“It has really hit a wall”, Scott responded with reference to the bill.
“It had some good parts to it, but it really isn’t the solution.
“There is no consequence, people are being processed and then being released into the United States.”
Supporters of the bill, which include both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, argue that the 370-page bill would stem the pace of undocumented immigrants arriving at the southern US border.
The legislation would spend hundreds of millions of dollars on border wall construction, but has faced a stumbling block.
It has been rejected by House Republicans and is facing mounting Senate opposition.