The Impact of Democrat Ted Lieu’s Statement and The Reality of Illegal Border Crossings
Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) claimed that border security issues today are not as dissimilar from former President Donald Trump’s term as some would imagine. With a post on Twitter on December 20th, 2023, Lieu referenced a headline from the New York Times that stated the border was at a “breaking point” in 2019 due to 76,000 illegal immigrants crossing in a month and suggested that Republicans did not blame Trump at that time. He concluded that the GOP was not interested in real solutions.
Fox News Reporter Bill Melugin countered Lieu’s tweet with the reality of the current border crisis. Melugin is widely recognized for providing in-depth coverage of the border crisis, especially in and around Eagle Pass, Texas, and he noted that the current year’s figure of over 300,000 border crossings in one month far surpasses that of 76,000 illegal crossings in the month referred to by the New York Times in 2019.
Border Monitoring – Fact or Fiction
Border monitoring has revealed that over 14,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the border in a single day, leading to 26,000 people being taken into custody. The situation is alarming, with President Biden’s abandonment of the border communities, according to Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX).
The rate at which border crossings have increased drastically compared to recent years indicates a colossal crisis that needs immediate attention.
Fox News reporter Melugin pointed out that Lieu’s reference to the 76,000 in one month, as described by the New York Times in 2019, pales in comparison to the December 2023 numbers as we are currently on pace to hit 300,000 border crossings in one month.
The Reality of Illegal Border Crossings
Using the reporter’s claim of 300,000 illegal immigrants in December, the border crisis today is four times worse than it was during President Trump’s administration. Border monitoring data and news reports illustrate that there are more asylum seekers now, and they are being released into the United States with financial support, housing, and the promise of court dates for the year 2031.
Furthermore, statistics indicate that Trump’s policies forced illegal immigrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases were pending, while President Biden releases them into the United States. In addition, Trump vowed to send all illegal immigrants back home.
Countering Lieu’s assertion, it’s clear that the simple fact is this: while not all illegal immigrants are a danger, those who are require strict handling and processing rules to prevent border security breaches. Currently, America is struggling to maintain sustainability and security with the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants being processed openly into the country.
Understanding the Comparison Between Trump and Biden
Lieu failed to acknowledge the crucial differences in border policy and illegal crossings between former President Trump and President Biden. In 2019, the average monthly number of illegal border crossings under Trump’s administration was 81,459, while in fiscal year 2023, the per-month average has ballooned to 206,305, as reported by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Lieu’s connection to these figures and his claim of Republicans’ failure to blame Trump reflects his shaky understanding of the serious illegal immigration issues facing the United States. The current border crisis surpasses that of previous years during Travis County’s better numbers. The numbers are indeed a cause for concern as they indicate a large humanitarian crisis at the border and pose challenges to American national security.
