My cousin worked the border in San Diego for quite a few years. His wife never lived anywhere but CA. They have 4 kids. Eventually, he realized he had to get himself and his family out of there. Thankfully, he was transferred right before Biden took over. They now live in Ohio and he patrols the Canadian border. I thank God they got out of that hell hole.
The Great Wall of America was not completed under Trump. I believe that is the top reason why Ann Coulter, who once strongly supported him, came to thrash him with her vitriol. She is right. It did not happen.
Like I said, they know what is happening and they continue to lie about it because the mainstream media carries their water. "On Tuesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas argued that the Biden administration “took action” to help secure the border “a long time ago” and has “been enforcing the law from day one,” but sometimes policies take time to have an impact." https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2024/05/21/mayorkas-weve-enforced-law-from-day-one-and-acted-on-border-but-it-takes-time/
Does anyone want to elaborate on why the DNA testing was taken away from the Border Patrol? Seems important that they determine that families are, indeed, families.
It is so degrading. It really is a sin on our nation that this is occurring to the migrants and the agents. The rape of the children is just heart breaking, and subjecting the agents with no ability to enforce laws is complicity. Incredibly sad.
At least several years ago, Russell was opposed to the Trump Wall and to Trump policies on the border in general--don't know whether or not he's reconsidered any of those perspectives. In any even, a great song.
Anyone who can vote for a Democrat is evil. Sorry, they ain't for the little guy, they're for their own power. Problem is the opposition remains the stupid party.
Trump embarrassed me sometimes. A lot of the time, truth be told. He made some bad decisions (one incredibly bad decision). He wasn't Presidential. He needed to stay off Twitter. But for all of that, he never actually made me hate him.
Biden is making me hate him. I started off as a reluctant Biden voter. Four years of his Presidency made me an unlikely Biden voter. At this point, I would vote for nearly anyone before I'd vote for Biden. For all the talk about how damaging Trump would be for this country, and how damaging he will be if re-elected (and he was and would be damaging, don't get me wrong), Joe Biden is much worse.
People like Biden don't deserve to have dedicated, loyal, principled individuals risking their lives for them. He doesn't deserve to be Commander in Chief, and he certainly doesn't deserve to have authority over our law enforcement agencies - especially Border Patrol.
Those of us who voted for Trump in 2020 did so because we could see the handwriting on the wall as far as where the Democrats were going, and knew Biden would be an unmitigated disaster. We just didn't know he'd be this MUCH of a disaster. That's the only thing we got wrong. I knew they were selling him as a fake moderate in order to usher in a far-left regime. I feel extremely vindicated. But still fearful for the country.
For all of Trump's faults, I feel much of it was instigated by constant media carping. Dems react to the most mild criticism by, what, shutting down free speech (Facebook and Twitter, etc.) By having journalists' phones wiretapped (James Rosen during the Obama presidency). I mean, that is some mucho-bad behavior. Trump was ridiculed for offering to purchase Greenland - maybe unrealistic, but I don't see why that was a bad idea. He was lambasted and criticized for EVERYTHING, while also facing daily leaks, many of which appear to have been fabrications.
Meanwhile, he was, I think, the "most transparent" President we've had in my lifetime (in quotes because of Obama's hilarious claim, which once caused an outburst of laughter in the White House Press Briefing Room.) Even on the Ukraine call, which brought immediate howls for impeachment - he released the transcript within days. I can't think of any President who would have done that.
Matt, this is a beautifully written sentiment and the closest I have ever read of my own position. I was ready to vote for Biden, but the Schumer diatribe about "changing the world" and making threats on the steps of the Supreme Court sent me running. In some ways I am more concerned about the anti-trump reaction to his victory than I am his actual victory.
and just when I thought he couldn't be a worse president (caring less about the citizens living in border states let alone the people coming across the border) now he's aiding and abetting Hamas against Israel. This guy is an unmitigated disaster.
I still hope Trump is locked up and Nikki Haley takes his place. I would vote for Nikki Haley. In the likely event that this doesn't happen I will vote for RFK Jr. Both sides are moving towards very scary extremes and even dictatorships
This is the right angle to take to bring people in the center (which is most people) over to the "there's a major problem at the border" side. Focus on the human cost of the current administration's policies. There is no need for jingoistic arm waving. It doesn't work, and there are material problems here that everyone can see and agree on. The republican party is completely incapable of doing that, though, and it's their biggest weakness.
Ultimately, this is exactly the type of problem we are ill-equipped as a nation to solve. We're just batting half measures around to create good political theater to win elections - no one in power actually wants to solve the problem. Solving it would take a way a wedge issue, and it would require actual leadership and accountability.
Legalize/decriminalize all drugs to take the power and money away from the cartels. Come up with a realistic, compromise number of immigrants we will accept and then *actually* do whatever it takes to comply with that policy, rather than just pretending that the world isn't the way it is. Create policies to drive prosperity (not handouts, actual economic development) in Latin America. I mean, if the government is going to incentivize shipping jobs offshore, we might as well incentivize shipping them south of the border to try to help alleviate this crisis.
I'm not an advocate for marijuana legalization, but I thought that undermining the cartels was a very strong reason to do it. I now think that, like any good business facing an existential threat, the cartels adapted to the market. Hence the fentanyl crisis - their new export of choice. Along with the $13-15bn they get as part of human smuggling operation. Considering the policies of some cities and states, I think it is worth considering if the cartels have infiltrated/corrupted US politics.
Fentanyl isn't anything new, though, its just an easier to smuggle substitute for heroin. They've been smuggling coke and heroin forever.
I lean libertarian so I believe in the legalization of all drugs for many reasons, but I can accept that people feel that's too extreme a position. However, what I would say is absolutely beyond any reasonable debate is that the war on drugs is a total and miserable failure. Portugal has had success with decriminalization and harm reduction but, even if that's not the right solution to the US, there is absolutely no question that we need a different approach. The war on drugs is fueling the border crisis, fueling the fentanyl epidemic, and costing us tens of billions of dollars in the process.
My heart aches for these agents who have been betrayed by this administration… How can ANYONE not feel the same way? How can this situation continue and anyone with even a bit of sense not be angry???
Trump deliberately tanked Lankford’s Border Bill, which the Bordder Patrol Union endorsed, so they blame Biden. Biden tries to fix his mistakes, isn’t allowed to by Trump and the Republicans in Congress, but it’s Biden’s fault.
I’m seriously starting the Republicans (Lankford) wrote an excellent bill to start addressing the mess—which the Border Patrol Agents Union full of suicidal agents endorsed—and Trump ordered it defeated.
So, the Republicans wrote a border bill with almost everything they wanted, then they obeyed orders—ignoring the needs/desires of the Border Patrol Agents Union—defeated it. None of that is Biden’s fault.
Why do you believe a special border bill is necessary to enforce existing border laws? It seems that is a common misconception here and in other discussions about this disaster. Enforce what we already have/had (as related by the Border Patrols profiled in this article) and then work on improving these laws.
“I think everybody cares about the future of the country. President Trump has a bigger picture of a lot of other issues he is looking for. If we have President Biden again, this never gets any better and I think if Trump sees this as a moment that if this gets fixed, then maybe a few people don’t vote, and then we have a whole host of other issues.”
Said by Lankford. Politics really is a very dirty business. They want Biden gone.
Republicans always want Democrats gone. Politics is indeed a dirty business.
But there were Democrats who supported Eisenhower's "Wetback Bill" because they saw a need to get something done, which is something Republicans won't do for Biden --or any Democrat--today.
Yes and I get it because Biden is such a horrendous disaster they will do anything to get him out of office. I want him gone too. Don't think for one minute that Biden wasn't going to use this every way he could in the election because he came right out and said it.
Stop catch and release and reinstate remain in Mexico and the number of illegal immigrants would decrease overnight. The chief of the border patrol union has said this.
The Chief of the Border Patrol also said pass Lankford's Border Bill.
Mexico has refused to allow the US to reinstate the "remain in Mexico" policy
What would you have Biden do? Invade Mexico and take over the #1 US trading partner? Bomb Mexico, as some Republicans in the Congress and the Senate have suggested? Looking forward to your ideas -- honest question.
If they don't enter the United States, then they remain in Mexico. That could be the policy, right?
Of course the Chief of the Border Patrol and the Union endorsed the bill - it had more funding and hired more agents. Did it change the focus of the Border Patrol? No. It focused on admitting up to 5,000 daily - and one should legitimately be concerned with whether even that limit would be enforced. Meanwhile, there were billions of dollars set aside for the NGOs that are advocating for more immigrants to come, and contributing to the crisis. Billions for sanctuary cities, who are victims of their own policies. Billions for flights to bring more immigrants directly here from far off points.
God bless the front line people... from border patrol to police. Heart breaking to hear these stories.
My cousin worked the border in San Diego for quite a few years. His wife never lived anywhere but CA. They have 4 kids. Eventually, he realized he had to get himself and his family out of there. Thankfully, he was transferred right before Biden took over. They now live in Ohio and he patrols the Canadian border. I thank God they got out of that hell hole.
The Great Wall of America was not completed under Trump. I believe that is the top reason why Ann Coulter, who once strongly supported him, came to thrash him with her vitriol. She is right. It did not happen.
Like I said, they know what is happening and they continue to lie about it because the mainstream media carries their water. "On Tuesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas argued that the Biden administration “took action” to help secure the border “a long time ago” and has “been enforcing the law from day one,” but sometimes policies take time to have an impact." https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2024/05/21/mayorkas-weve-enforced-law-from-day-one-and-acted-on-border-but-it-takes-time/
How sick. We are constantly lied to and so many simply believe what they are told by our government.
Does anyone want to elaborate on why the DNA testing was taken away from the Border Patrol? Seems important that they determine that families are, indeed, families.
they don't want to know. The kids are needed to get the adults into the country.
This was a such a sobering read—an excellent piece of journalism that humanized both sides of the argument—for the agents and the migrants as well.
Both sets of experiences boil my blood and I can see why the agents are so demoralized.
It is so degrading. It really is a sin on our nation that this is occurring to the migrants and the agents. The rape of the children is just heart breaking, and subjecting the agents with no ability to enforce laws is complicity. Incredibly sad.
Tom Russell wrote a very good song, 'California Snow', which is from a border agent's perspective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yII4uZJ2gtM
At least several years ago, Russell was opposed to the Trump Wall and to Trump policies on the border in general--don't know whether or not he's reconsidered any of those perspectives. In any even, a great song.
So you're an angry keyboard warrior who is also a misogynist. Yes I'm sure that word is too long fir your tiny brain to comprehend
Anyone who can vote for a Democrat is evil. Sorry, they ain't for the little guy, they're for their own power. Problem is the opposition remains the stupid party.
No one's gonna tell us what happened to the toddlers?!
Trump embarrassed me sometimes. A lot of the time, truth be told. He made some bad decisions (one incredibly bad decision). He wasn't Presidential. He needed to stay off Twitter. But for all of that, he never actually made me hate him.
Biden is making me hate him. I started off as a reluctant Biden voter. Four years of his Presidency made me an unlikely Biden voter. At this point, I would vote for nearly anyone before I'd vote for Biden. For all the talk about how damaging Trump would be for this country, and how damaging he will be if re-elected (and he was and would be damaging, don't get me wrong), Joe Biden is much worse.
People like Biden don't deserve to have dedicated, loyal, principled individuals risking their lives for them. He doesn't deserve to be Commander in Chief, and he certainly doesn't deserve to have authority over our law enforcement agencies - especially Border Patrol.
Those of us who voted for Trump in 2020 did so because we could see the handwriting on the wall as far as where the Democrats were going, and knew Biden would be an unmitigated disaster. We just didn't know he'd be this MUCH of a disaster. That's the only thing we got wrong. I knew they were selling him as a fake moderate in order to usher in a far-left regime. I feel extremely vindicated. But still fearful for the country.
For all of Trump's faults, I feel much of it was instigated by constant media carping. Dems react to the most mild criticism by, what, shutting down free speech (Facebook and Twitter, etc.) By having journalists' phones wiretapped (James Rosen during the Obama presidency). I mean, that is some mucho-bad behavior. Trump was ridiculed for offering to purchase Greenland - maybe unrealistic, but I don't see why that was a bad idea. He was lambasted and criticized for EVERYTHING, while also facing daily leaks, many of which appear to have been fabrications.
Meanwhile, he was, I think, the "most transparent" President we've had in my lifetime (in quotes because of Obama's hilarious claim, which once caused an outburst of laughter in the White House Press Briefing Room.) Even on the Ukraine call, which brought immediate howls for impeachment - he released the transcript within days. I can't think of any President who would have done that.
Yep, and we are now trying to get the Hur recordings released by Garland. Must be pretty bad...
Matt, this is a beautifully written sentiment and the closest I have ever read of my own position. I was ready to vote for Biden, but the Schumer diatribe about "changing the world" and making threats on the steps of the Supreme Court sent me running. In some ways I am more concerned about the anti-trump reaction to his victory than I am his actual victory.
If the Dems put in another candidate, say Gretchen Whitmer, please don't vote for her either. She has the same platform a Biden.
It doesn't matter who they put on the ballot. If this machine puts someone on the ballot it will be more of the same.
I would add that Trump was exceptionally presidential, an excellent Chief Executive.
Anyone who can vote for Biden is evil, nothing short of evil. He's creating this chao, infant abuse, women's rapes, etc. for his own power.
and just when I thought he couldn't be a worse president (caring less about the citizens living in border states let alone the people coming across the border) now he's aiding and abetting Hamas against Israel. This guy is an unmitigated disaster.
I still hope Trump is locked up and Nikki Haley takes his place. I would vote for Nikki Haley. In the likely event that this doesn't happen I will vote for RFK Jr. Both sides are moving towards very scary extremes and even dictatorships
Haley would just bomb Mexico. Problem solved!
they can take California with it.
It's such a shit-hole you wouldn't be able to tell where the bombs went off
#journalism. Great work.
This is the right angle to take to bring people in the center (which is most people) over to the "there's a major problem at the border" side. Focus on the human cost of the current administration's policies. There is no need for jingoistic arm waving. It doesn't work, and there are material problems here that everyone can see and agree on. The republican party is completely incapable of doing that, though, and it's their biggest weakness.
Ultimately, this is exactly the type of problem we are ill-equipped as a nation to solve. We're just batting half measures around to create good political theater to win elections - no one in power actually wants to solve the problem. Solving it would take a way a wedge issue, and it would require actual leadership and accountability.
Legalize/decriminalize all drugs to take the power and money away from the cartels. Come up with a realistic, compromise number of immigrants we will accept and then *actually* do whatever it takes to comply with that policy, rather than just pretending that the world isn't the way it is. Create policies to drive prosperity (not handouts, actual economic development) in Latin America. I mean, if the government is going to incentivize shipping jobs offshore, we might as well incentivize shipping them south of the border to try to help alleviate this crisis.
I'm not an advocate for marijuana legalization, but I thought that undermining the cartels was a very strong reason to do it. I now think that, like any good business facing an existential threat, the cartels adapted to the market. Hence the fentanyl crisis - their new export of choice. Along with the $13-15bn they get as part of human smuggling operation. Considering the policies of some cities and states, I think it is worth considering if the cartels have infiltrated/corrupted US politics.
Fentanyl isn't anything new, though, its just an easier to smuggle substitute for heroin. They've been smuggling coke and heroin forever.
I lean libertarian so I believe in the legalization of all drugs for many reasons, but I can accept that people feel that's too extreme a position. However, what I would say is absolutely beyond any reasonable debate is that the war on drugs is a total and miserable failure. Portugal has had success with decriminalization and harm reduction but, even if that's not the right solution to the US, there is absolutely no question that we need a different approach. The war on drugs is fueling the border crisis, fueling the fentanyl epidemic, and costing us tens of billions of dollars in the process.
My heart aches for these agents who have been betrayed by this administration… How can ANYONE not feel the same way? How can this situation continue and anyone with even a bit of sense not be angry???
Please someone, explain this to me!
Trump deliberately tanked Lankford’s Border Bill, which the Bordder Patrol Union endorsed, so they blame Biden. Biden tries to fix his mistakes, isn’t allowed to by Trump and the Republicans in Congress, but it’s Biden’s fault.
Seriously? You are going to blame the millions who have come in under Biden, Trump's fault? TDS is real.
I’m seriously starting the Republicans (Lankford) wrote an excellent bill to start addressing the mess—which the Border Patrol Agents Union full of suicidal agents endorsed—and Trump ordered it defeated.
So, the Republicans wrote a border bill with almost everything they wanted, then they obeyed orders—ignoring the needs/desires of the Border Patrol Agents Union—defeated it. None of that is Biden’s fault.
Why do you believe a special border bill is necessary to enforce existing border laws? It seems that is a common misconception here and in other discussions about this disaster. Enforce what we already have/had (as related by the Border Patrols profiled in this article) and then work on improving these laws.
Without additional funds, the Border Patrol cannot hire new agents.
Without a change in the asylum criteria, it's too easy to ask for asylum under the existing statutes
Without additional funds, more judges cannot be assigned to the Border towns for faster turn-around of asylum rejection.
Lankford's Border Bill did all of that -- and funds for fence building
“I think everybody cares about the future of the country. President Trump has a bigger picture of a lot of other issues he is looking for. If we have President Biden again, this never gets any better and I think if Trump sees this as a moment that if this gets fixed, then maybe a few people don’t vote, and then we have a whole host of other issues.”
Said by Lankford. Politics really is a very dirty business. They want Biden gone.
Republicans always want Democrats gone. Politics is indeed a dirty business.
But there were Democrats who supported Eisenhower's "Wetback Bill" because they saw a need to get something done, which is something Republicans won't do for Biden --or any Democrat--today.
Yes and I get it because Biden is such a horrendous disaster they will do anything to get him out of office. I want him gone too. Don't think for one minute that Biden wasn't going to use this every way he could in the election because he came right out and said it.
As Biden should. The Republicans tanked what Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell called as good a border bill as they would get.
How? Can’t wait to hear your ideas. Honest question.
Stop catch and release and reinstate remain in Mexico and the number of illegal immigrants would decrease overnight. The chief of the border patrol union has said this.
The Chief of the Border Patrol also said pass Lankford's Border Bill.
Mexico has refused to allow the US to reinstate the "remain in Mexico" policy
What would you have Biden do? Invade Mexico and take over the #1 US trading partner? Bomb Mexico, as some Republicans in the Congress and the Senate have suggested? Looking forward to your ideas -- honest question.
If they don't enter the United States, then they remain in Mexico. That could be the policy, right?
Of course the Chief of the Border Patrol and the Union endorsed the bill - it had more funding and hired more agents. Did it change the focus of the Border Patrol? No. It focused on admitting up to 5,000 daily - and one should legitimately be concerned with whether even that limit would be enforced. Meanwhile, there were billions of dollars set aside for the NGOs that are advocating for more immigrants to come, and contributing to the crisis. Billions for sanctuary cities, who are victims of their own policies. Billions for flights to bring more immigrants directly here from far off points.