Former ICE agent says border must be closed: 'This is not humanitarian'
Retired ICE special agent Lupe De La O., Retired Border Patrol agent Bill Jackson, and Texas congressional candidate Irene Armendariz-Jackson react to migrants sleeping on the streets in El Paso and how the crisis has impacted their community.
Former law enforcement agents are sounding the alarm about the open border impacting Texas communities, including El Paso, where migrants have recently been found sleeping in the streets.
Retired ICE special agent Lupe De La O., retired Border Patrol agent Bill Jackson, and Texas congressional candidate Irene Armendariz-Jackson joined "Fox & Friends" Thursday to share how the Biden administration's policies have created a humanitarian crisis.
"The only solution is to close the border. That's where we start. We start asking people not to come. And not only for the health, safety, and security of our American citizens but also for their safety," Lupe said.
Migrants from Venezuela rest near a bus station after being released from U.S. Border Patrol custody in El Paso, Texas, U.S., September 13, 2022. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez)
Jackson said "Texas has been suffering" because of the border policies from the Biden administration, and as a result, El Paso is "overwhelmed." He emphasized that although the immigration system is broken, the border policies from the Trump administration proved to be "effective, if used properly."
Jackson's wife, Armendariz-Jackson – who is running to represent El Paso in Congress – torched the narrative from Democrats that cracking down on illegal immigration is anti-Hispanic.
"That is a lie from the pit of hell and that's exactly where it belongs. If the Democrats really cared about the Hispanic population in the United States, they would actually control the border and bring border security," she told Brian Kilmeade.
Armendariz-Jackson emphasized that border communities are 80% Hispanic and therefore are hurt the most by the "complete disregard for our law" by encouraging illegal immigration.
"We see people walking in the neighborhoods that they shouldn't be walking in, endangering our own children. Here in the neighborhood that my husband and I live in, we're close to the airport, and illegals are released all the time. There are two elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. What about the safety of our children?"
Lupe concluded that she has "never seen the border this bad" after serving on the border for 20 years.
"I put my life on the line for 20 years. All of my coworkers, we all did. We tried our best to protect our borders. And now I am offended. I am deeply, deeply offended, and I am very angry. I have a lot of anger. I'd like to give one example. For example, we don't know who's coming in. We don't know if they're terrorists, rapists, murderers."
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The head of the Border Patrol stated that an internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance memo from May clearing border agents to release illegal migrants into the interior of the U.S. — in anticipation of a surge at the border if Title 42 is officially terminated — is unprecedented in the 31 years he's been with the agency.
The memo, obtained this week by Fox News Digital, authorized Border Patrol to release migrants into the US to avoid overcrowding if Title 42 ends.
Chief Raul Ortiz made the comments under oath during a recorded July 28 deposition, as part of discovery in a lawsuit by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody against the Department of Homeland Security and other border agencies.
Fox News' Kelly Laco contributed to this report.
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