Retired Yuma Border Patrol chief Chris Clem claimed Wednesday that the border in Arizona has been overrun by mainly male adult migrants.
Appearing on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” Clem spoke about what Border Patrol agents have been encountering at the border in Lukeville, Arizona.
“There’s no making sense of this. This is three years running. What we’re dealing with down here. … What you’re seeing right behind me, this is military-age, single, adult males, mostly single adult males. We just had about eight Syrian nationals come across. There’s people from all over the world showing up here, right here in Lukeville,” he said.
“Resources are so stretched so thin that they’ve had to shut down ports of entry. Border patrols have to reassign operations to come down here and address this. And look, this is just reminiscent of what I dealt with the last two years in Yuma. So, again, we are continuing this, the same uncontrolled, unregulated illegal immigration and something needs to happen. Washington needs to get this right. It’s getting old real fast,” he added.
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Among the “mostly single adult males” who’ve come through the Lukeville entry was one who had nothing for praise for current President Joe Biden.
“I love you, Joe Biden. Thank you for everything, Joe Biden!” the male African migrant told Fox News.
Both he and another unnamed illegal alien migrant said they aren’t looking for asylum but rather for work.
ILLEGAL ALIEN PRAISES JOE BIDEN FOR KEEPING THE BORDER WIDE OPEN: “I love you, Joe Biden. Thank you for everything, Joe Biden.” WORST PRESIDENT EVER — RESIGN!pic.twitter.com/UGDOeZPPg3 — Proud Elephant (@ProudElephantUS) December 5, 2023
“Both the migrants were part of a massive surge of migration into the Tucson Sector in Arizona which has left authorities overwhelmed. Fox News cameras were at the scene in Lukeville, where migrants were camped out in front of the border wall waiting to be processed,” according to Fox News.
“The Tucson Sector saw nearly 3,000 encounters in a single day and has seen 17,500 encounters in a single week, the highest weekly total ever recorded,” Fox News notes.
The surge has been so severe that U.S. officials announced the temporary closure of the port of entry in Lukeville last week.
“Beginning on Monday, December 4, CBP’s Office of Field Operations will temporarily suspend operations in Lukeville, Arizona, in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody,” Customs and Border Protection announced in a press release last Friday.
“ Both northbound and southbound pedestrian and vehicle traffic at Lukeville Port of Entry will be suspended until further notice. Travelers can cross into or out of the United States through either the Nogales Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona or the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luis, Arizona.,” the press release continued.
The decision to close the port of entry prompted backlash from the state’s mostly Democrat leaders, including Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, along with Gov. Katie Hobbs.
My statement alongside Senator Sinema and Governor Hobbs on the Lukeville Port of Entry closure due to the border crisis: pic.twitter.com/qiNjzc9p3H — Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) December 1, 2023
“This is an unacceptable outcome that further destabilizes our border, risks the safety of our communities, and damages our economy by disrupting trade and tourism,” the Democrats said in a joint statement. “The Federal Government must act swiftly to maintain port of entry operations, get the border under control, keep Arizona communities safe, and ensure the humane treatment of migrants.”
Sinema is technically an independent though she caucuses with the Democrats.
In their statement, all three also bashed “partisan politicians who parrot talking points while watching the border further deteriorate.”
They argued these “partisan politicians” should instead “reject the echo chamber and work with us to get something done and keep our communities safe.”
The “partisan politicians” were likely Republicans, who for their part have been complaining about the Biden administration’s lax border crossing policies since President Joe Biden took office in early 2021.
All this comes as congressional Republicans are fighting with congressional Democrats over a stalled Ukraine/Israel bill that Republicans are demanding include money for the southern border as well.
Border security is national security. Supplemental national security legislation must include meaningful policy changes to get the Biden Administration’s border crisis under control. Not enough Senate Democrats recognize this fundamental and urgent reality. — Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) December 6, 2023
“Senate Republicans know this isn’t an either-or proposition. We know that national security begins with border security,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued on the Senate floor this Wednesday.
“I’ve spent months highlighting the undeniable links between the threats we face in Europe, in the Middle East, and in the Indo-Pacific. But Democratic leadership appears to be telling us today that they’re willing to risk each of these urgent priorities to avoid fixing our own borders right here at home,” he added.