Border security and immigration have become top concerns for Americans, reflecting deep fears 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. 1.7 million “gotaways” have sneaked into the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration, more than in the previous decade combined.
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.
Let’s take these statements one at a time:
A. Truth! According to Border Patrol data from earlier this year, over 1.7 million migrants have entered the United States through the southern border without being captured since the start of the Biden-Harris administration.
These individuals, referred to as “gotaways,” are those detected by agents or surveillance but successfully evade arrest. This figure surpasses the 1.4 million gotaways documented over the entire decade from 2010 to 2020.
Gotaways are a serious concern because they pose risks to national security and public safety. These individuals avoid being screened, meaning some could have criminal backgrounds or ties to terrorism. The large number of gotaways also puts extra strain on Border Patrol and law enforcement, making it harder to track them down. Criminal networks, like smugglers and traffickers, take advantage of these gaps, bringing drugs, weapons, and people across the border illegally. On top of that, since gotaways don’t go through health or security checks, they could bring health risks or other dangers into communities. All of this weakens public trust in immigration enforcement and makes it harder to manage the border effectively.
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.
Authorities discovered an 8,000% surge in Chinese migrants at the southern border. At the same time, 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.
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 Biden-Harris 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:
This Halloween season, the real fright isn’t lurking in haunted houses—it’s at our southern border. With more than 1.7 million “gotaways” slipping into the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration, the horror of unchecked border crossings may continue to haunt us for years to come. These unvetted migrants could include criminals, traffickers, or even individuals on terror watchlists, posing a direct threat to public safety and national security. Smugglers are thriving, bringing record-breaking amounts of fentanyl and expanding human trafficking networks. Meanwhile, Chinese nationals are making frightening attempts to infiltrate U.S. military bases under the guise of tourists. To make matters worse, the Border Patrol is struggling with low morale and retention, making it harder to manage the ever-increasing flow. If that doesn’t make your skin crawl, consider this: with morale at an all-time low and resources stretched thin, the worst may be yet to come.