Border Patrol Calls Mayorkas a 'Liar' after He Claims 'Southern Border Is Secure'
Over 207,000 migrant encounters in June alone
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Border Patrol agents have pushed back against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ claim that the southern border is "secure" claiming the opposite is true as they struggle to cope with the overwhelming numbers facing them.
In June alone, there were over 207,000 migrant encounters, the fourth month in a row where the number of encounters breached the 200,000 mark.
Mayorkas, however, dismissed claims about the border not being secure.
"Look, the border is secure," he said.
"We are working to make the border more secure. That has been a historic challenge."
He then faulted lawmakers who have said they won’t commit to broad immigration legislation until the situation is addressed.
"I have said to a number of legislators who expressed to me that we need to address the challenge at the border before they pass legislation and I take issue with the math of holding the solution hostage until the problem is resolved," he said.
"There is work to be done," he said before adding that "safe and secure are two different words."
"There are smugglers that operate on the Mexican side of the border and placing one's life in their hands is not safe," he said.
Border Patrol agents pushed back against the claims.
"Hundreds of thousands crossing every month is not the definition of secure," one agent said.
"They are liars and anyone who believes them are fools."
Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) also disputed that the border is secure, highlighting the drug flows into the U.S. and the number of migrants that get past agents.
There have been 440,000 known getaways since the fiscal year began in October, with over 50,000 in May, according to one high-level CBP source.
Combined with the 400,000 known getaways since the beginning of FY 2021, that means that more than 800,000 illegal immigrants have gotten past agents since October 2020.
"As bad as the apprehension numbers are, and they are beyond bad, the scariest part of border security is the getaways and the amount of drugs that are coming into the country," Judd told Fox News Digital.
"Secretary Mayorkas knows the cartels use illegal border crossers to facilitate their higher value contraband including criminal aliens and fentanyl."
"Secretary Mayorkas knows we have the least secure border in our history as evidenced by nearly one million known gotaways and over 100,000 overdose deaths from narcotics coming across our southwest border," he said.
"There are easy solutions but based upon the evidence and a refusal to implement programs to secure the border it is clear this Administration including Secretary Mayorkas clearly does not care about the American people."
Another Border Patrol source told Fox News Digital that Mayorkas is telling "bold face lies" to the American people.
"They're using issues like poverty, crime and climate change as reasons for asylum but those do not meet the legal standard of the law," they said, before saying the majority of asylum claims are "absolutely bogus."
"Mayorkas, [Border Patrol Chief Raul] Ortiz and [President] Biden are failures that do not have the support of agents and many command staff, they all have violated their ‘oath’ of office to defend the laws and Constitution and should be removed," the source said.
