Thread by @KimWexlerMAJD

On 15 March 2033 the House Homeland Security Full Committee held a Field Hearing in Pharr, Texas: “Failure By Design: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis.”Once again, Democrat members failed in their duty to attend. youtube.com/live/7Z1ETzh3A…

Witness list for House Homeland Security Committee hearing in Pharr, Texas, “Failure by Design: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis.” Wed., 15 March 2023 #BidenBorderCrisis #ImpeachMayorkas

Chairman Green’s full opening statement: homeland.house.gov/5040-2/
Green: We came to Texas to get members of Congress and their staff out of the cubicles in DC to the border to see it for ourselves. It takes seeing what’s going on to make well-informed decisions.

Green: This was supposed to be a full committee, but Democrats said coming here was a political stunt. Taking a hearing to the point of the crisis for a firsthand view, or boycotting because we’re going to shine a light on the truth? Which is the stunt?

Green: Bipartisanship is where you sit down together and debate the issues and try to find common ground. You can’t have bipartisanship if the other side fails to show up for their duty. Their place of duty is in this hearing because it is a full hearing. The Democrats are AWOL.

Why is this crisis happening? 4.7 million encounters, 1.3 million ‘gottaways’ – we don’t know who those people are, where they are, but in the encounter number we know drug seizures are up, individuals on the terrorist watch list are up. All at record numbers. Six million people.

Green: Why is this crisis happening? In just the two years of Secretary Mayorkas’ reign at DHS, more people have come into this country than in all of the eight years of the Obama presidency and all four years of the Trump presidency combined. Why? What’s happened? What changed?

Green: More than 6M people poured across the border. Why? The only thing that changed: Subversion of laws written by Congress, and successful migration control policies implemented by previous administrations that worked to deter crossings were offensive to this administration.

Green: They aren’t detaining because Mayorkas knows that detention is deterrence. And so they’re just processing people in, paroling them right away and sending them into our country. And phone calls back home, telling their friends and families, ‘come on, the door is wide open.’

Green: Secretary Mayorkas is trying to remove the Judicial Branch from the decision making on asylum. Congress passed laws years ago that said the Judiciary is to be involved. Why would he want to subvert laws written by Congress? They want more people to come into the country.

Green: A detailed analysis of DHS budget shows you that they’re not doing anything to increase Border Patrol or tech in any significant way. All the increases in funds, billions of dollars, to process and ship people all over the U.S. That’s where they’re asking for more money.

Green (0:07:05): Border Patrol sector chiefs tell us that they can’t return people back to their countries because the State Dept. has not renegotiated return agreements. Why would the State Dept. not continue those agreements? Because they want people coming here in mass waves.

Green: In violation of the laws passed by Congress, this DHS secretary wants to flood the country with people. [His actions have] empowered the narco-human trafficking terrorist cartels … making billions bringing people into the US, many of whom have to pay with forced labor.

Green: To use a military term, the cartels are neutralizing Customs and Border Patrol by forcing them to thin the lines in the rural areas. Then the fentanyl and the nefarious folks [unknown subjects] that they are trafficking into the United States come across in rural areas.

Green: Video cameras placed by ranchers near Yuma show cartel members in camouflage outfits, wearing carpet shoes and backpacks full of fentanyl, pouring into our country. Those aren’t counted in the numbers. So why 6M people now? Why 100K dead Americans to drugs like fentanyl?

Green: Because of the decisions, the incompetence, and the dishonesty of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. We’re here to show the American people why. We are here to find solutions to this problem despite a president laughed when talking about a mother lost two children to fentanyl.

Ortiz (0:16:29): Now, unlike previous surges, we are seeing traffic including large groups spread across multiple locations instead of just one or two sectors. This places a tremendous strain on Border Patrol resources and our operational posture.

Ortiz: Investments to support border security have been a three-legged stool, Personnel, Infrastructure and Technology. Changing conditions require a fourth, which is a processing enterprise. When traffic shifts rapidly, reallocating resources and manpower comes at a cost.

Ortiz: Horse patrol units are vital. Last year’s mass migration event in Del Rio was chaotic, we had over 20,000 people show up in one place, we were able to provide food, water and medical care with no loss of life. I accept full responsibility for actions taken.

Ortiz: I am extremely proud of the 190 agents that responded to the horrific mass shooting event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. Our agents made entry, engaged the shooter, and provided critical medical care as a partner to local and state counterparts. I champion them.

Ortiz: Tragically, 17 CBP agents lost their lives to suicide in 2022. Our agents continue to be the targets of negative rhetoric, our resolve has never wavered. Our strategy is organizational excellence, working with partners and building capacity to counter the criminal cartels.

Cagan (0:21:03): Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is responsible for investigating and dismantling transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) responsible for flooding the US with illicit drugs. HSI investigates every critical location in the supply chain.

Cagan (0:25:08): As CBP employs new tech at border ports of entry, it will likely increase seizures. HSI will need additional staffing to support investigations and prosecutions to dismantle TCO threats. Border Enforcement Security Task forces (BEST) are among our premier tools.

Green (0:26:49): Chief Ortiz, does DHS have operational control over our entire border? Ortiz: No, sir. Green: I’d like to share the actual definition of Operational Control in the code, I appreciate the honesty of Chief Ortiz.

A brief portion of video from 28 April 2022 House hearing, Rep. Chip Roy: “Will you testify under oath right now, do we have operational control over the border?” Sec. Mayorkas: “Yes we do.”

Green: Do you think Mayorkas is lying there? Ortiz: Ten years ago we used Operational Control as a measuring stick of our effectiveness along the border. My new strategy is geared towards Mission Advantage. Green: You’re describing how goalposts have moved because of mass waves.

Green (0:28:10): My question, you heard the secretary, he said we have operational control, that’s the definition you have up there. Ortiz: No sir. Green: Is Secretary Mayorkas lying? Green: I didn’t see the rest of the testimony there. Green: It’s either ignorance or he’s lying.

Green: 4.7M alien encounters, 1.3M gotaways, a record number of individuals on the terror watch list, record number of aliens encountered with gang affiliations, record drug seizures, do these numbers project confidence to the American people that DHS has operational control?

Ortiz (0:29:01): I have confidence in the men and women that are executing the mission to the best of their ability. In 5 of 9 sectors we have seen increased flow, causing considerable strain on resources, forcing us to move agents to other areas. Green: Do cartels have control?

Green: Cartels have figured out if they flood certain areas you shift resources, that allows them free reign. To me, that’s cartels controlling the southern border. Do drug cartels have control of sections of the perimeter of the U.S.? Ortiz: Our agents do a phenomenal job.

Green: You and I both deeply respect the men who work for you. These guys are pulling 90 hours a week. Killing themselves, literally, 17 suicides. Why is this huge surge here, why now? What’s the cause? You were here under the last administration, during Covid, what has changed?

Green: I would submit to you that your sector chiefs have told me two things. One, the policies from promises the president made during his campaign, and two, the State Dept. has allowed ICE return agreements to expire. Ortiz: Our ability to repatriate is a tremendous challenge.

The Biden Plan for Securing Our Values as a Nation of Immigrants joebiden.com/immigration/# (“It is a moral failing and a national shame when a father and his baby daughter drown seeking our shores. When children are locked away in overcrowded detention centers….”)

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA): There’s an increase in Chinese nationals apprehended at our border, this means an increase not being captured. Many of the precursors used to create fentanyl originate in China. Are scientists connecting with criminal networks to build laboratories here?

Cagan (34:51): China is the beginning of the illicit supply chain of fentanyl. Precursor chemicals leave Chinese ports across the water into Mexico, eventually into Mexican labs where pills are produced. HSI attacks supply chains at critical nodes. We stop container ships full.

Higgins: Regarding commands that come down from Mayorkas, it’s come to our attention many commands at field level don’t have paper trail, communication is verbal. How does that relate to our aerostat techs? Why were aerostats pulled down in January?

Ortiz: We are in constant communication. Aerostats are expensive, $4.6M each, we have 4 deployed in Texas, they do a phenomenal job, we are looking at alternative technology that might be less expensive, and will do everything we can to incorporate that into our operations.

Guest: Is the border secure? Ortiz: Of 8 sectors on the northern border, I’ve got one experiencing a lot of influx of migrants from Canada. I’ve got 25 additional agents deployed there, at one point 854 officers from the northern border deployed to the southern border to help.

Ortiz: Five southwest border sectors are experiencing a higher level of flow than we have seen previously, that creates unique challenges for us and puts a strain on us and partner agencies. I have to move resources, make adjustments across the entire 2000 miles of SW.

Guest (0:44:07): I take it that five sectors are not secure. Do you agree with the statement of Col. McCraw, that the most significant public and national security threat to Texas and our nation is an unsecured border with Mexico? Ortiz: Yes sir, I do agree.

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC): Your candor is a breath of fresh air. You have acknowledged the border is not secure. You walk a fine line, you don’t want to be insubordinate to your superiors, but if there was ever time for candor it is now. Your statement was written in Washington.

Bishop: In fiscal 2020 the policy was “detain and remove,” the objective was to avoid releasing any illegal immigrant for any reason. In 2021, the new admin gutted those policies. Record numbers followed. Do you acknowledge the driver of the crisis is the policy to release?

Ortiz: Any time you don’t have consequences, you’re going to see increases. We repatriate when we can. We have a difficult time repatriating to Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua. That has been a driver of some increases. We have a policy crisis. We have to be actually allowed to do our job.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez: We have 1.3M known gotaways. What is your estimate of the number we don’t know? Ortiz: We have greater situational awareness, my confidence level in the gotaways number continues to increase. Number of actual gotaways is probably between 10-20% more.

Gimenez: I equate the chemicals as weapons and the cartels as soldiers. You spoke about the weapons, what are you doing about the soldiers? Cagan: We don’t break it up separately. We work on the ground. HSI, we have strong partnerships with Mexico. We have 60 open investigations.

Gimenez: We have 25x more illicit opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. than in Mexico. Either they are vastly underreporting, or an unwritten rule that the cartels don’t sell it there. We had over 100K deaths in the U.S. last year.

Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) (56:13): To my Democrat colleagues, how disrespectful to not be here. Chairman Thompson last year said he would hold a hearing at the border. He never did. Now he’s acting as a partisan agent. We don’t have operational control over 50% of the SW border.

Pfluger: Chief Ortiz, as the tactical expert, have you shared your recommendations for how to secure the border with Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas? Ortiz: The secretary and I have had candid conversations, we are exploring every opportunity to continue to add capacity. Yes.

Pfluger: Every agent I have talked to tells me they don’t believe there are consequences. You mentioned repatriation flights. Is the secretary listening? Ortiz: We have increased consequences, we have seen more criminal alien arrests and we prosecute. That needs to continue.

Pfluger: Do you believe the cartels are acting as a terrorist organization? Ortiz: Whether they are a terrorist org or a criminal org, all of the agencies need to concentrate efforts because they have expanded their capabilities immensely. We need a whole of government approach.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): This is unacceptable. Are you aware that there was an explosive device found by border patrol agents on Jan 17? There’s surveillance of who put it there, it was cartels. Our Border Patrol should not be at risk of being blown to pieces.

Greene: We were told kids age 13 - 17 are being recruited by the cartels and used to smuggle drugs across the border taped to their bodies to drive and smuggle humans. Can you elaborate? Cagan: They will go after vulnerable populations to move drugs north, guns and weapons south.

Greene: This has been a large increase in the past 2 years in kids used to traffic drugs, the policies are failing. What change needs to be made? Our people are being poisoned every day. Fentanyl is the largest cause of death for people ages 18-45. Unacceptable.

Rep. Nick Lalota (R-NY) (1:08:35): We’ve authorized resources to executive branch, we’re frustrated the president and Secretary Mayorkas have failed to properly utilize those resources. Can you tell us the status of the fiber optic sensors? Are they on?

Ortiz: Sensors are deployed across the SW border. We continue to expand the linear ground detection system. Lalota: Would more sensors increase security? Ortiz: The idea we turned off all infrastructure light posts and detection is inaccurate. We are challenged with some cameras.

Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL) (1:13:54): A federal judge ruled the Biden policy of parole and alternatives to detention is unlawful. He stated the border was “a meaningless line in the sand,” and “little more than a speedbump for aliens flooding into the country.” Ortiz: I am aware.

Lee: Have any of the policies related to parole and detention been modified in light of the court’s ruling? Ortiz: There wasn’t a requirement to parole in last 60 days, we release to ICE, leverage Title 42. We informed all sectors not to parole individuals with some exceptions.

Lee: Did halting construction on border walls include shutting off other installations, roads, lighting? Ortiz: some infrastructure projects that were midway, the secretary approves continuation. Lee: Would roads and lights be helpful to you? Ortiz: Yes.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) (1:19:16): The individuals you report to have reported this explosive device to Secretary Mayorkas, he reported it to the president, and nothing has been said to the public. Congress had no idea this was going on. We’re sending billions overseas.

Luttrell: We’re sending hundreds of billions across the seas to secure everybody else, and we’re not doing anything in my state, that’s a problem. They’re lying to us. Ortiz: If there’s significant event on the border, we will coordinate with investigative task force partners.

Luttrell: You said you feel like there are no consequences. Which policies need to be reinstated?

Ortiz: With respect to policy, migrant protection protocols, remain in Mexico, safe third country, all of the tools the Border Patrol and DHS have are going to help us manage.

Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL): 4.7M apprehended, 1.3M evaded, potentially 20% more, IED being used against US law enforcement, do you think it’s time the president sends the military to the southern border to protect the American people?

Ortiz: We have DOD partners. I need 3K agents.

Strong (1:42:26): Mr. Cagan, your office counters transnational crimes including combatting drugs, illegal weapons and money laundering. Has your agency seen an increase in criminal activity in the past two years as it relates to the surge at the border?

Cagan (1:42:51): The surge at the border creates more [criminal] activity. Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) target vulnerable populations, this causes more activity. Operation Expanded Impact is the framework HSI uses to surge special agents to the border to support.

Strong: If we return to the operational policies under the previous administration how long would it take to get the border under control?
Ortiz: Every policy that allows us to repatriate or reduce the flow of migrants is certainly going to increase our operational effectiveness.

Ortiz: It’s going to be a real challenge to repatriate folks from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua [and Venezuela]. We have to have a [legal] tool for [repatriating] those populations.
Strong: Under the Trump admin, those who came illegally were detained and removed immediately.

Strong: America is being invaded. No American is safe. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I’m a freshman U.S. Congressman in office for nine weeks, I’ve learned more in these two hours than we’ve heard in the last nine weeks in DC. Distraught there’s not a Democrat here.

Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) (1:46:05): For you to admit we don’t have operational control at our southern border, you’ve done that in a respectful, straightforward manner and that took guts.
Ortiz: In 2019 we had a family unit crisis. We addressed it relatively quickly.

Brecheen: Did you feel that we had operational control from 2016-2020?
Ortiz: There were times when in certain locations effectiveness was above 85-90 percent. I had extreme confidence of what was happening on our SW border.
Brecheen: That’s much better than we heard just now.

Brecheen: Would you support returning to the “Stay in Mexico” policy?
Ortiz: Any policy, legal tool or resource that allows law enforcement to repatriate or affect some consequence on individuals we encounter is going to be a useful tool.

Brecheen: In 2016 Biden, then as a U.S. senator, voted for the Secure Fence Act. Democrats believed in physical barriers. Do you believe infrastructure is important? Do support the concept of a physical wall? Are walls effectual to allow agents to be reallocated elsewhere?

Ortiz (1:49:40): Congressman, I do not believe in a wall from sea to shining sea, but I do believe in infrastructure and barrier systems in concentrated areas, especially urban areas. I don’t agree we should tear down perfectly good barrier systems based upon [new] requirements.

Ortiz: I don’t believe we should tear down perfectly good barrier systems. We tore down perfectly good infrastructure in areas that we should have left alone. Del Rio was a perfect example.
Brecheen: Do you disagree with Biden’s decision to shut down construction?
Ortiz: Yes.

Ortiz: The CBP One mobile app ensures migrants have an opportunity to ensure migrants can schedule an appointment with asylum officer without putting their lives into the hands of the cartels. We work with NGO partners so folks who want to apply can do it from their home country.

Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) (1:52:12): In the Rio Grand Valley sector 35K cartel drone detections in FY2022, only 10K were intercepted. Drones are watching our agents, communities, and are leading illegal immigrants through our border. Our RGV sector has 18 operational drones.

De La Cruz: There were 7 aerostats here in the RGV sector and due to lack of funding 3 have been decommissioned, the remaining are going to be defunded by the end of this year. What is DHS doing to counter cartel tech?
Ortiz: Tech is a priority, but I have to worry about policy.

Ortiz: Cartels have deep pockets and don’t have to worry about policy. We have 201 small UAS systems deployed throughout the country, I continue to expand that over the next 24 months. We have a counter-UAS program. Smuggler no longer has to leave the Mexican side, he uses apps.

Ortiz: I’m a big fan of aerostats. When I was in Afghanistan, aerostats kept us safe. In 2013 I was the architect of the aerostat program in So. Texas and expanded it across the SW border. It is expensive technology, I need to find an alternative to that.

https://twitter.com/AmyMartinSouth/status/1635040094485901313?s=20

Bishop (during recess) (2:23:41): I would offer to write their headline for them: U.S. Border Patrol admits we do not have operational control of the southern border, it is not secure, and Biden administration policy is the cause. That’s what he said. The candor is astonishing.

Col. Stephen C. McCraw (2:26:28): The most significant public safety & homeland security threat is our failure to secure int’l border with Mexico. Mexican cartels have metastasized to something much larger than ever, the most powerful ruthless depraved organizations in the world.

McCraw: Criminal cartels are on our doorstep. They have command and control elements. They’ve dominated the lucrative drug and human smuggling market. Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl. The border is not just a federal problem, it’s a local problem throughout U.S.

McCraw: In 2021 we were planning for a failed state scenario, catastrophic event scenario, what we got instead was a federal policy disaster that incentivized illegal migration and rewards them with a notice to disappear. The cartels have exploited it. Cartels are terrorist orgs.

McCraw: Cartels are partnering with gangs in the U.S. to support illegal activities on both sides of the border. Lookalikes of oxycodone, Adderall, Percocet. We see deaths, they don’t care. Gov. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, billions of taxpayers dollars helping CBP.

Sheriff Coe (2:32:11): We are under siege by illegal aliens and smugglers. With the current open-door policy Kinney County has seen a dramatic increase. Game cameras show us 160-180 people per night going through the county unchallenged. Roughly 60,000 entered through our county.

Coe: In 2022 Kenney Co. deputies apprehended 741 human smugglers and filed over 3,000 felony cases against smugglers. In 2021 we arrested 169 smugglers. We are on track to exceed 900 this year. Vehicle pursuits increase accidents, deaths, damage, huge strain on EMS resources.

Chris Cabrera (2:38:15): In FY 2022 Border Patrol made unprecedented 2.2M apprehensions, five times the number in the last year of Trump admin, a clear sign of how Biden policies are failing. Half of those rearrested last year had been expelled under Title 42 which ends in May.

Cabrera: In addition to apprehensions 1.2M confirmed illegal immigrants that evaded capture in the past 2 years. We didn’t have enough manpower to apprehend. The entire Rio Grand River Valley is approx. 1.3M people. If this isn’t the definition of a problem I don’t know what is.

Cabrera: We must end “catch and release.” Immigration and Nationality Act S. 235B requires DHS to detain all migrants apprehended entering illegally, “may parole on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.” That’s not what Biden DHS is doing.

Cabrera: A federal judge #FloridavUSA just vacated the administration’s parole policy which is “catch and release” by a different name. Second, Congress must resource BP to add 2,700 agents. Recruiting is a challenge. Attrition is climbing. Lack of pay parity with other agencies.

Biden administration won’t appeal court ruling in Florida immigration case #FloridavUSA miamiherald.com/news/local/imm… Court opinion, case No. 3:21-cv-1066-TKW-ZCB bit.ly/3Fawdz2

Green: How have BP agents been affected? Cabrera: Physically, we lost quite a few to Covid, we have lost 17 agents to suicide last year. Emotionally what hits hardest is what happens with young unaccompanied children. Let us do our jobs, let us work. Morale is down significantly.

McCraw: Texas DPS budget before Jan. 2021, the state legislature invested $800M. When we saw record apprehensions in TX (1.3M in 2021 and 1.4M in 2022) the legislature has dedicated billions now. Operations are threefold. The state is paying for National Guard, that is important.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) (2:49:07): Every exec admin has a Constitutional obligation to secure the international borders, to help states maintain operational control is absolutely a requirement. Do you feel this administration is fulfilling its obligation? McCraw: Absolutely not.

Higgins: What is the responsiveness of ICE?
Coe: If our deputies apprehend someone we charge criminal trespass. DPS and the governor have given us a $2.5M grant to assist with prosecution. With human smugglers, we file charges on everything we can on them, have been successful.

Coe: Problem we have with ICE and BP, landowners will want to turn aliens over to the county to file trespass charges, BP refuses. If we have someone in custody that we can’t prosecute, we have problems having ICE come and pick them up. They say they don’t meet qualifications.

Higgins: If you prosecute on state charges, you conclude that adjudication, they’re still illegal within the country, has the federal gov put you in the position to illegally release aliens within the country?
Coe: Several times they have tried. We took them to the Port of Entry.

Rep. Michael Guest (2:54:15): During the 2 years of Operation Lone Star there’s been more than 350M doses of fentanyl seized, 19 tons of methamphetamine. Texas LE have apprehended 350K criminal aliens. Would you agree border security is national security?
Col. McCraw: Absolutely.

Guest: You described border as ”porous” and say there’s compelling evidence fed gov’t has incentivized, rather than criminalized, illegal immigration. This admin has said we could see up to 14K immigrants/day once Title 42 expires. Is there a plan in place, have DHS briefed you?

McCraw (2:59:20): There is a plan in place, the state of Texas does not need the federal government’s permission to protect it. Governor Abbott has a plan, integrated across all three levels of government, it is multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary, I can tell you that.

Bishop: This hearing has been extraordinarily significant. The U.S. Border Patrol Chief has testified to Congress that the Biden policy of releasing aliens into the U.S. instead of removing them is the cause of the crisis at the border which he characterizes as out of control.

Bishop: In January, Culiacán saw the latest war between the Mexican military and Sinaloa Cartel over the arrest of Ovidio Guzman, son of El Chapo. Border Patrol tells me nothing comes across the border unless the cartel permits it. $15B in income to cartels for human trafficking.

https://twitter.com/AmyMartinSouth/status/1637573520401072129?s=20

Bishop: Colonel, you talked about the command and control capabilities, what’s to prevent the cartel from developing in the U.S. and staging what you saw in Culiacán where they could war against our law enforcement & military forces?
McCraw: The cartels are already in the U.S.

Col. McCraw (3:03:29): They have command and control within the U.S. Gangs and their collaboration with the cartels are the biggest problem right now. The Mexican cartels own Mexico, that’s the bottom line. Through intimidation, hyper-violence, coercion, and frankly corruption.

Bishop (3:04:05): If our policy continues to profit [cartels], and build [their power over] people they abuse and manipulate for their own purposes, couldn’t they strengthen to the point that they’re that kind of a [terrorism] hazard within the U.S.?

Col. McCraw: Our seemingly compassionate policy of allowing everyone in the world to come to the United States is anything but. You turn them over to the Mexican cartels. There’s too many rapes, too many violent crimes committed on women and children, and the extortion continues.

McCraw: The extortion continues, not just until they get to the river, they continue, in stash houses, Chinese in particular we come across where they’re in indentured servitude. They don’ t have $50-$70K to come here, they owe a criminal organization, they work off their debt.

McCraw: Whether it’s the sex trafficking industry, we’ve seen where young girls are recruited from Central America and Mexico on the promise of a domestic servant [job], these are brutal, depraved, cowardly criminals. In LE, an absence of crime and disorder defines our success.

Cabrera: We have had issues here in the Rio Grande Valley. I know cartel members are living among us, not just in our area, probably everywhere, under the radar. I can’t see larger scale taking off because our LE is not corrupt like it is in Mexico.
Bishop: Thank God for y’all.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez: I heard a story about an individual who tried to cross and was captured by the cartel, and thinking everyone in Miami has money, they called his cousin in Miami on FaceTime [for $10K ransom], the cousin didn’t have the money. They murdered him on FaceTime.

Gimenez: Has the Biden admin gotten the word about what they need to do to fix the border?
McCraw: There are a lot of smart people back there, It would be impossible not to know. This is not rocket science.
Gimenez: So this was done on purpose.
McCraw: I can’t see it otherwise.

McCraw: This is not a political issue, it’s a public safety issue, and it hurts.
Gimenez: How many different cartels are on the southern border?
McCraw: In Texas, there are six Mexican cartels that operate.
Gimenez: Do you have estimates of how many members there are in Mexico?

McCraw: On the Mexican side, we have estimations, it’s hard to project, clearly there are as many members of cartels as there are gang members, and we’ve identified over 100K gang members in Texas. Whether directly or indirectly involved, they’ve got an army of people down there.

McCraw: We know from past experience, the Zetas were Mexican military that went over to be the enforcement arm of the cartel, the Gulf Cartel moved over, created its own cartel, so you have continuing rebranding, splitting of cartels, they’ve metastasized.

Gimenez: Does the Mexican military have the capacity to deal with the cartels?
McCraw: I don’t know, capacity includes will. The gov’t of Mexico does not have the will.
Gimenez: I have doubts about where Mexico lies.
McCraw: It’s not news Mexico has had issues with corruption.

Gimenez: Biden policies help the cartels make huge profits, help them grow in power and in their ability to kill Americans?
McCraw: The impact on the cartels is that they’re richer and more powerful than they were before this mass migration began.
Gimenez: Due to Biden policies.

Pfluger (3:13:36): Do you see the cartels acting more brazenly, employing terrorist tactics?
McCraw: They’ve been employing terrorist tactics for years. This is nothing new. Kidnapping of Americans, extortion, torture, these things go back decades. I don’t mean to be gratuitous.

McCraw: This is not covered in Mexico. Being a journalist is not a good position to be in, in Mexico, writing about cartel violence. They’ll target them. I don’t care if it’s a journalist, judge, police officer, blogger, no one’s exempt from the cartels and their brutality.

Pfluger: If you see an enemy use a tactic, technique or procedure that threatens the lives of those you’re in command of, or civilian populations, do you disseminate that information?
McCraw: Certainly.
Pfluger: It’s been alleged an IED was found. Would BP agents want to know?

McCraw: The governor of Texas has made it clear to me that a secure national border with Mexico is an absolute imperative. Without that, we don’t have public safety and homeland security in Texas.

Greene: What policy changes have contributed to this invasion?
Cabrera: Parole (instead of mandatory detain and removal), ending remain in Mexico, catch and release. They come in, they call home they were able to get in.
Coe: Lack of consequences.
McCraw: I agree with Cabrera.

Rep. M. T. Greene (3:20:05): I’m signing legislation to impeach Mayorkas. He puts law enforcement in danger every single day. We were briefed about an IED being found in January. This takes it to a whole new level of putting border patrol and LE in danger.

Rep. Lalota: What is the cost to the state of Texas to step up in the place of the federal government?
McCraw: In the past years Texas has spent $4B, and looking at spending another $4B for the next biennium. One police department in NYC has more officers than the Border Patrol.

Rep. Luttrell: If you’re short on officers, would it make sense if we surge technology into places people don’t necessarily want to operate and have that assist in order to enhance number somewhere else?
Cabrera: Definitely. Aerostats work wonders for us out here in McAllen, TX.

Rep. Strong (3:33:55): Do you believe it’s time that the U.S. military stop this invasion at our southern border?
Col. McCraw: I certainly think it’s time for the federal government to do its sovereign responsibility and whatever resources it needs to do it.

Brecheen: Detention consequences policy?
Coe: Operation Streamline. Every illegal alien caught was prosecuted under USC 1325 which is illegal entry into the United States. It worked. Expedited Removal, we did the paperwork, removed back to Mexico, deportation. It worked.

Rep. Lee (3:41:11): Discuss the humanitarian effect?
McCraw: When you attract millions of people from around the world to turn themselves over to Mexican cartels — we’ve described how violent and ruthless they are — you’re setting them up to be victims of crime again and again.

Lee: What types of investigations do you see?
McCraw: Money on the front side is the smuggling fee, but inside the U.S. they are housed in stash houses and extorted for more money from relatives at home. People sell everything they have if they believe they have an opportunity.

Lee: What have you observed with women and children?
Cabrera: A boy, 4, was sent in care of a smuggler, was found abandoned on the river. A girl, 13, turned herself in at the wall in a group. She handed us her birth certificate, she cried the hour and 1/2 she waited for the bus.

De La Cruz: Would you like this committee to take a look at polygraph policy?
Cabrera: I have tons of stories of people who can’t pass the polygraph for BP but pass for Customs. Astonishing that many people don’t pass. They go into sexual orientation. Insane. Revamp that system.

Green: In the border bill that we have put together, the polygraph issue is addressed. Hopefully the Senate will pass that bill and the administration will sign it.