Border hearing in Texas with GOP House reps

OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 1:00 PM PT – Wednesday, March 15, 2023

The House Committee on Homeland Security, which is Republican, held a hearing on Wednesday about the border crisis.

GOP members voted to hold the second hearing related to border security in McAllen Texas. It was decided to hold the second border security-related congressional hearing in McAllen, Texas. This was so that border patrol officials and families who have been affected by the crisis could be heard directly.

The chair of the committee was Representative Mark Green (Republican from Tennessee). He blamed the current administration’s violation of laws written by Congress and signed into law by former President Donald Trump.

“It’s clear to me this secretary of DHS wants nothing more than to flood the country with people,” Green stated. “The problem with that is, it’s empowered the narco-human trafficking, terrorist cartels.”

Raul Ortiz, Chief of the United States Border Patrol, testified before Congress on Wednesday morning. This refuted much of what Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had stated.

Ortiz stated that there have been over 9,000 migrants crossing the border this year. He expressed his concern for his officers further by pointing out 17 CBP officers had committed suicide in 2022.

He also stated that the government doesn’t have operational control over the border as Secretary Mayorkas claimed. The Border Patrol chief stated that he had worked with Mayorkas in order to increase the consequences. “criminal aliens.” He said also that border agents have arrested more criminal aliens in 24 months than ever.

Ortiz closed his testimony by stating that the Border Patrol urgently needs more officers on the frontlines to perform their duties effectively.

Sheriff Brad Coe, Kinney County Texas, also testified that he is not satisfied with the work environment in his area. “under siege by illegal immigrants.”

“My office has six full-time deputies and eight part-time to cover the 1,370 square miles of the county. This causes large areas of the county to go unpatrolled,” Coe testified.

None of the Democratic members of the committee traveled to Texas. Democrats claimed that the Republicans’ politicization of this hearing is the reason they were unable to attend the hearing.

Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) The Washington Examiner received a statement from Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) explaining the Democrats’ reasoning.

“After careful consideration, Committee Democrats have decided not to participate in the Republicans’ field hearing this week,” The statement is as follows: “Unfortunately, it has become clear that Republicans planned to politicize this event from the start, breaking with the committee’s proud history of bipartisanship. Instead of a fact-finding mission to develop better border security and immigration policies, Republicans are traveling to the border to attack the administration and try to score political points with their extreme rhetoric — despite having voted against the resources border personnel need.”

Governor Greg Abbott (R.Texas), denounced the Democrats’ move.

“House Democrats have the chance to see firsthand the disastrous impact of Biden’s open border policies,” He tweeted. “Instead, they’re bailing.”

Chris Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety stated that it is crucial to hold hearings in the field for the purpose of addressing the border crises. He stated that both parties must be present for a productive bipartisan discussion.

“I think it’s very important to have these hearings at the border where the problem is,” Olivarez said. “I mean, it really shines light and exposes the reality of the situation at the border.”

Olivarez vented his frustration and stated that there is a need for a solution, as it has been nearly two years since the border crisis began under the current administration.

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