Border security and immigration have become top concerns for Americans, reflecting deep worries about national safety and community preservation. How much do you know about the crisis at the border? Play this “Two Truths and a Lie” game to find out!
A. A top priority for American citizens, regardless of political affiliation, is a secure border.
B. An open-border immigration policy significantly threatens civilian safety and national security.
C. The U.S. Border Patrol has high morale and retention rates.
A. Truth! A Pew Research Center survey conducted in early 2024, reveals that a vast majority of Americans (78%) perceive the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border as either a crisis or a major problem. This widespread concern is further amplified by the fact that 80% of respondents believe the federal government is mishandling the situation, with dissatisfaction cutting across both Republican and Democratic respondents. A clear majority (58%) believe the influx of migrants is due to U.S. immigration policies that will make it easy to stay in the country illegally once they arrive.
More than 70% of voters support investing in border security measures such as increased screening capacity, improving technology and infrastructure at the border, and increasing the number of border officials. This sentiment is echoed in a Wall Street Journal poll from March 2024, where 59% of respondents support a bipartisan package that includes both tougher border security and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who have been in the country for many years.
B. Truth! Many individuals on the terrorist watch list attempted to enter the U.S. illegally; 294 suspected terrorists were apprehended at the Southwest border since the beginning of fiscal year 2021. Moreover, over 35,000 aliens with criminal convictions or outstanding warrants, including 598 known gang members, were arrested in 2021, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by individuals with criminal backgrounds entering the U.S. undetected.
There have been repeated attempts by Chinese nationals to infiltrate U.S. military bases. In the last calendar year, 100 incidents were documented where Chinese nationals, posing as tourists, tried to gain unauthorized access to sensitive sites, including missile ranges and intelligence centers. Authorities discovered an 8,000% surge in Chinese migrants at the southern border.
Over the past few years, the U.S.-Mexico border has experienced a significant increase in both drug trafficking and human trafficking, driven by the adaptability and resilience of cartel operations. Fentanyl seizures grew from 11,201 pounds in 2021 to over 27,000 pounds in 2023. With 2 milligrams of fentanyl being a lethal dose, 27,000 pounds would have represented more than 6 billion lethal doses coming into the U.S. during fiscal year 2023. One U.S. sheriff reported his department arrested 169 human smugglers in 2021, and more than 900 in 2023.
C. Lie! The U.S. Border Patrol is facing significant challenges related to morale, recruitment, and retention, all of which could make securing our border even harder in the future. Morale among agents is notably low due to being overworked and assigned tasks outside their primary mission, leading to frustration and fatigue. This low morale is compounded by the pressures of managing overtime and frequent changes in immigration policies, which have left many agents feeling unsupported by the administration. An audit revealed that about one in four CBP and ICE employees plan to leave their jobs within the year due to these difficulties.
Despite efforts to remedy these problems, the staffing levels have remained relatively stagnant, while the number of migrants stopped at the southern border has surged, further straining the existing workforce.
Bottom Line:
The sanctity, integrity, and security of our homeland should be a priority for the federal government. By and large, Americans agree. It’s in everyone’s interests for America to have a lawful, secure border that allows for legal entry to our country.
Enhancing border security is a multifaceted challenge that requires a comprehensive, multi-domain approach. Physical and geographic barriers act as deterrents and work to prevent migration. The wall should be built alongside improving and deploying in greater quantities advanced surveillance technologies such as drones, ground sensors, and AI-powered monitoring systems. Improving infrastructure at ports of entry is another key aspect. Increasing border patrol staffing and support is essential. Expanding collaboration with border communities is another vital strategy. The U.S. should strengthen diplomatic efforts with Mexico and Central American countries to combat human trafficking and drug smuggling, improve information sharing, and support economic development programs. Lastly, increasing funding for counter-narcotics operations is essential to disrupt drug trafficking networks and reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.
To learn more, read the Policy Focus: Border Security is Pro-Immigration and Pro-Security.