Thread by @chiproytx

After touring the border again in South Texas... the border remains open: @CBP is outmanned & outgunned by the Gulf Cartel while operating catch-&-release processing centers... leaving only a handful of agents actually on patrol! #EndBorderCrisisNow (1/x)

Of course, the criticisms leveled at @CBP are largely false... the centers are clean, with food, hygiene products, doctors, and children /family units are processed generally quickly... BECAUSE THEY ARE CAUGHT & RELEASED. #EndBorderCrisisNow (2/x)

Of almost 900,000 people apprehended on southern border since 10/1/2018 - ignoring hundreds of thousands of “got aways” - almost 600,000 have been or soon will be caught & released as family units or UAC’s (unaccompanied children). (3/x)

As one Border Patrol agent put it - they are on diaper patrol not border patrol. One agent described having THREE agents on a 50 mile line on actual patrol... with vast areas of unnavigable land... and no units to respond to sensors... (4/x)

One group apprehended while were in river at 3AM were from India! One group tgat cane through of 29... 19 sought @CBPRGV - and 10 dressed in black scurried off into the brush heading north. Those aren’t the “good guys.” (5/x)

That group went up this path out of the river... a worn path through the brush... littered with diapers and children’s clothing... but are these the kids of all these dudes? One guy was caught with 3rd infant - DNA tested, and guess what? Not the dad... (6/x)

Speaking of DNA... that testing wasn’t started fully until July & remains optional! So our @CBP agents spend their time interviewing & processing, not patrolling!!! Not running boats & choppers but infrequently w/ low personnel. When the boats run, traffic slows or moves! (7/x)

Meanwhile - the Reynosa faction of the Gulf cartel has operational control of the border. Making over $2 million a week simply on the tax/fee for moving across the border through Reynosa. Criminal orgs make $50 million a week moving people through MX. (8/x)

We still have limited places to put single adult (usually males) and @ICEgov is overrun with border traffic, harming interior enforcement (read: usually criminals)... and ICE needs more beds, and we need more judges & officers to actually have expedited removal. (9/x)

This could go on - but here’s the deal... the border is nowhere close to secure, @cbp is overwhelmed doing processing, @ICEgov is jammed, and Politicians are leaving them abandoned on the battle field.... (10/x)

I am really grateful for @CBPRGV for tours, @BPUnion for joining us to discuss, @jaeson_jones for his expertise, @brandondarby & his team for their unique knowledge, sitting down for a round table, & staying up with me til 4 in the morning on the border! (11/x)

And I’m grateful for fellow Texan @MichaelJCloud for his focus on the border and to colleagues @Jim_Jordan @Cline4Virginia @andybiggs4az for touring with @CBPRGV to see what’s going in Texas! #EndBorderCrisisNow (12/12) (/end)