Former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott criticizes President Biden's handling of the border crisis, arguing that the administration's policies have led to a surge in illegal immigration and a loss of control at the nation's borders.
Former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott has condemned President Biden's handling of the border crisis, arguing that the administration's policies have led to a surge in illegal immigration and a loss of control at the nation's borders.
Scott, who served as chief during the Biden administration, said in an interview that the situation at the border is "100% Biden's doing." He pointed to the administration's reversal of the Trump-era deterrence strategy, which had significantly reduced illegal entries, and its termination of infrastructure improvements.
"Biden walked away from the 27-year bipartisan, deterrence strategy in favor of a reactionary strategy," Scott said. "Performance metrics like situational awareness, arrests, seizures, turn backs and got-a-ways were replaced with reducing processing times as well as reducing total time in custody. Combined, these actions effectively removed meaningful consequences for illegally entering our nation."
Scott said that the policy shift has triggered a "tsunami of illegal immigration" and allowed transnational criminal organizations to regain control of the border.
"Cartels rely on an endless flow of illegal immigration to overwhelm border law enforcement," Scott said. "Over 1,000 illegal entries per day is more than enough to enable the cartels to shape the environment to facilitate the smuggling of narcotics, contraband and any alien willing to pay extra to avoid being fingerprinted."
Scott said that since January 2021, Border Patrol has encountered or documented approximately 10 million illegal entries, including over two million known "got-a-ways" and over 350 aliens on the national terrorism watchlist.
"These are the dumb ones who get caught," Scott said.
Scott said that Biden's recent executive actions on border security are "political theater" and will not solve the crisis. He called on the administration to return to the deterrence strategy that was successful in the past.
"Limiting illegal entries to 2,500 a day is political theater," Scott said. "Think of border security the same way you think of securing your own home. Everyone, regardless of weight, height or gender, should enter through the front door. Bad immigration policies are akin to allowing anyone to enter your house without your permission and without your knowing who they are."
Scott said that without the willingness to actually control who and what enters the country, any sense of safety is a "façade."
