President Joe Biden, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, rejects constructing a border wall because it is “immovable.”
Mayorkas was questioned on “60 Minutes” if there is anything the Biden administration will not do to protect the border, which he has frequently stated is not open.
The secretary quickly focused on a border wall, a top priority for Trump’s administration.
“Well, as I’m sure you know, the president said we’re not going to build another wall that costs billions of dollars, is immovable, and is already corroding,” Mayorkas explained.
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who did the interview, pushed Mayorkas on the issue, noting that many opponents of Biden claimed that by undoing Trump’s immigration policies, Biden effectively put a “we’re open” sign on the southern border.
“That’s what the migrants were hearing,” Alfonsi insisted.
Mayorkas, on the other hand, disputed the point, blaming migrant traffickers for “misinformation and disinformation.”
“Keep in mind that we aren’t the only source of messages received by migrants. We have smuggling groups that take advantage of refugees. Those smuggling organizations also engage in misinformation and disinformation,” he added.
Earlier in the conversation, Mayorkas declined to use the word “crisis” to characterize the border region situation.
“I consider it a significant challenge,” Mayorkas stated.
“How come you won’t say the word ‘crisis?’” Alfonsi applied pressure.
“Do you know what? Because I have a great deal of confidence in the employees of the Department of Homeland Security. And a crisis suggests to me a retreat from our purpose,” he replied.
Whatever you name it, Mayorkas admits that the number of refugees entering the United States has hit an “extraordinary high.”
Last fiscal year, that figure surpassed 2 million, with at least 500,000 more “getaways,” or migrants who were never apprehended by border authorities. Meanwhile, roughly 1 million migratory arrests have already occurred in fiscal year 2023.
Is there anything else?
A border wall protects nearly 2,000 miles of the southern boundary with Mexico. When he took office, Biden stopped all construction of the border wall, but he has approved the finishing of certain gaps in Arizona.
