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As the border crisis solidifies, with unfiltered immigration coming to a historic spike, Americans don’t get first-hand information from the president himself. Most reports on the matter come from in-situ journalists, who update citizens on the horrors of human smuggling.
It is true that VP Kamala Harris has been appointed by Biden deal with the increasingly difficult-to-hide crisis. However, it is not yet known what measures the administration is taking to curb it. Fortunately, due to the hard work of on-the-ground journalists, secretive actions —such as the transfer of illegal migrants to other cities— are now public.
To learn about the situation at the border, El American interviewed two journalists dedicated to covering the record surge of illegal migrants. Julio Rosas, a senior writer for Town Hall and Anthony Cabassa, a field correspondent for El American. Both revealed details of this unprecedented migrant crisis.
How do you describe the current situation at the border?
“The southern border has been a problem for a long time, but the Biden administration has decided to take steps to make the situation worse. By implementing open border policies, it has led to the surge we have seen all this year,” Rosas said exclusively to El American.
For Cabassa, this is the worst border crisis in the history of the country. He pointed out that the most serious issue is the violation of human rights suffered by migrants themselves during their journey to the United States.
“The situation at the border is the worst on record. It is a violation of human rights and a genocide of people, as many of those who pass illegally are subject to the harshest conditions imaginable: raped, sexually assaulted, extorted, and much more,” Cabassa said.
What do you consider to be the most serious aspect of this migration crisis?
Rosas noted that the “most serious aspect” is how criminal organizations are profiting from Biden’s immigration policies.
“The most serious aspect is the amount of money being made today by the cartels and human smuggling organizations. Because Biden took a soft stance on the border, he has incentivized people to make the dangerous journey north, thus making the practice of human smuggling and trafficking more profitable,” Rosas explained.
Cabassa states that the most serious aspect of this crisis is that Biden does not stop it, and by not doing so “invites the world” to continue entering illegally.
“Illegal immigration is one of the most serious dangers, not only to any country but especially to the United States, because of the conditions that must be endured to finally reach the border. Moreover, in the midst of a pandemic, we are cramming tens of thousands of immigrants into overcrowded facilities, some of which have no way of maintain, provide or deliver health care,” Cabassa said.
Is there frustration among Border Patrol agents about the lack of action from the federal government?
“In general, Border Patrol agents are frustrated with what has happened this year. Some I’ve talked to said they were making good progress under the Trump administration, but threat progress was undermined by the Biden administration,” Rosas said of the crisis at the border.
“Every Border Patrol agent I have interviewed or spoken to has stated that they feel overwhelmed, overworked, powerless and useless. One agent told me that they felt like the “Walmart greeters,” simply standing at the border, unable to enforce U.S. illegal immigration laws, but instead welcoming anyone who breaks the law; many of whom will simply be released into the country,” Cabassa explained.
What is the most curious thing you have seen at the border with this migration crisis?
For Rosas, the most curious aspect of this border crisis is the fact that many migrants are taking advantage of the weak border policies of the Biden administration.
“They are not afraid of being caught. In fact, many of them want to be caught, since they know that policies have changed,” Rosas said.
Cabassa states that what is the most curious thing is the number of unaccompanied children coming into the United States: “We have never seen this number of unaccompanied minors at the border before, and that is encouraged by the current administration, by stating that they will not turn children away and that they will do everything possible to process them, that has created a record number of children at the border, some of whom I have interviewed and they have told me that they come alone to enter the country and for requesting that their relatives come to the country afterwards.”
What is the most shocking event you have witnessed during your coverage of the crisis?
For Rosas, the most serious problem is the children who arrive in the country alone. Many lose their lives along the way. Cabassa points out as one of the most heartbreaking images left by human traffickers are “rape trophies.”
“Border sources shared with me images of trees with women’s underwear on the Mexico side. These trees are used by cartels and human smugglers to hang the underwear of women and underage girls they violently rape, leaving their underwear on a tree as a ‘badge’ or ‘trophy’. The goal is to ‘decorate’ the tree with as much underwear as they can,” Cabassa said.
Why do you think there has been this disproportionate increase in illegal migrants coming to the southern border?
“I have asked this same question to human traffickers and foreign nationals, and they have told me that the reason is that this administration does not enforce immigration laws at the border, and that it has made it easier for smugglers to bring in people,” Cabassa explained.
El American field correspondent said human smugglers claim it is much easier to smuggle illegal migrants now than it was under the Trump administration.
“When I was reporting live from Rome, TX, a hot spot for human smugglers who traffic women and children in rafts down the river, we asked the smugglers if it was easier to traffic people now than in the previous administration, and the smuggler laughed and told me, ‘Of course!’,” he added
Is Biden breaking immigration laws by relaxing them while allowing a massive influx of illegal immigrants?
“He has changed many policies that have made the situation worse. Enforcement at the border is important because when they are broken, the U.S. loses,” Rosas said.
“President Biden is deliberately avoiding immigration laws, he is avoiding building a barrier on the wall that the Border Patrol has already talked about, and he is avoiding enforcing regulations, such as Title 42, which states that any alien who wishes to claim entry into the United States must remain in Mexico. The Supreme Court has ruled that this law must be upheld, and Biden has ignored it for months,” Cabassa concluded.
Sabrina Martín Rondon is a Venezuelan journalist. Her source is politics and economics. She is a specialist in corporate communications and is committed to the task of dismantling the supposed benefits of socialism // Sabrina Martín Rondon es periodista venezolana. Su fuente es la política y economía. Es especialista en comunicaciones corporativas y se ha comprometido con la tarea de desmontar las supuestas bondades del socialismo