Mayorkas Ignores the Law

In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he does not abide by the Secure Fence Act’s definition of operational control of the border "because preventing all unlawful entries to the United States is not the policy of the Biden Administration." He also dodged the issue of whether the drug cartels that do have operational control of the border should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, saying "it's not up to me to make that judgment." The Secretary went on to boast that "we have increased the number of Border Patrol agents for the first time since 2011."

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) summed up Mayorkas' testimony, saying "you admit that your agency is not following the law, yet you insist that you have operational control over the border. Are you aware that over five million persons have illegally entered the country since the start of the Biden Administration? Are you aware that the fentanyl smuggled across this border has killed more than 100,000 Americans over this same time span? It doesn't seem like the illegal policies of the Biden Administration are having good results."

"Let me assure you that we are focused on securing the border," Mayorkas insisted. "We are equally focused on enforcing our laws to achieve that result. The Border Patrol agents are doing heroic work." Upon hearing this Sen. John Kennedy (R-La) observed "you may be focused, but you are not succeeding.” Mayorkas called Kennedy's observation "premature. It could be years before we can tell. However, I do know that the vast majority of officers and leaders with whom I work greatly support an assault weapons ban."

SEMI-NEWS/SEMI-SATIRE by John Semmens