Washington — In an unique interview with CBS Information, U.S. Border Patrol chief Jason Owens known as the scenario on the southern border a “nationwide safety menace,” expressing concern about tens of 1000’s of migrants who’ve evaded apprehension and entered the nation surreptitiously over the previous 5 months.
Owens stated Border Patrol is “closing in” on recording a million apprehensions of migrants in between ports of entry alongside the U.S.-Mexico border within the 2024 fiscal 12 months, which began in October. For the third consecutive 12 months, his company is on monitor to report two million apprehensions by the point the fiscal 12 months ends on the finish of September, Owens added.
“That quantity is a big quantity, however what’s retaining me up at evening is the 140,000 recognized got-aways,” Owens stated in his first unique interview as Border Patrol chief, referring to migrants who’re detected by cameras and sensors crossing into the U.S. illegally, however not apprehended.
“Why are they risking their lives and crossing in areas the place we won’t get to?” Owens requested. “Why are they hiding? What have they got to cover? What are they bringing in? What’s their intent? The place are they coming from? We merely do not know the solutions to these questions. These issues for us are what characterize the menace to our communities.”
The scenario, Owens added, quantities to “a nationwide safety menace.”
“Border safety is a giant piece of nationwide safety,” he stated. “And if we do not know who’s coming into our nation, and we do not know what their intent is, that may be a menace and so they’re exploiting a vulnerability that is on our border proper now.”
Nonetheless, Owens agreed that the overwhelming majority of migrants coming to the U.S. border are “good individuals.”
“I believe the migrants that we encounter, which are turning themselves in, sure, I believe they completely are, by and huge, good individuals,” Owens stated. “I want they’d select the appropriate approach to come into our nation and never begin off on the incorrect foot by breaking our legal guidelines.”
Whereas a “very small quantity” of these apprehended on the southern border are critical criminals, reminiscent of convicted gang members or sexual offenders, Owens stated most migrants are surrendering themselves to Border Patrol brokers to flee poverty or violence of their residence nations.
“They’re coming throughout as a result of they’re both fleeing horrible situations, or they’re financial migrants in search of a greater lifestyle,” he stated.
Customs and Border Safety (CBP) statistics present a tiny fraction of migrants processed by Border Patrol have felony data within the U.S. — or different nations that share info with American officers — and an excellent smaller proportion have been convicted of great crimes. Obtainable knowledge and research additionally counsel that migrants within the U.S. illegally don’t commit crimes at a better price than native born Individuals.
Nonetheless, high regulation enforcement officers, together with FBI director Christopher Wray, have voiced considerations about felony actors, together with potential terrorists, exploiting the unprecedented ranges of migration alongside the U.S. southern border over the previous three years.
In each fiscal years 2022 and 2023, Border Patrol reported over two million apprehensions of migrants who crossed the southern border illegally, each all-time highs.
Owens stated the extraordinary circulation of individuals into the U.S. is especially pushed by cartels.
Requested if the cartels had been setting “the principles of engagement” on the southern border, Owens stated, “sure, they completely are.”
A profession official who has spent greater than 25 years in Border Patrol, Owens assumed the highest place on the company in June 2023 following the retirement of Raul Ortiz. Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas known as Owens a “gifted, selfless, and provoking chief” when his promotion was introduced.
In his interview with CBS Information at CBP headquarters in Washington, Owens additionally known as for more durable immigration insurance policies to cut back the variety of migrants arriving to the southern border.
“I am speaking about jail time. I am speaking about being faraway from the nation and I am speaking about being banned from with the ability to come again since you selected to return within the unlawful method as a substitute of the established lawful pathways that we set for you,” he stated.
