Tensions over the burgeoning unlawful migration crisis on the southwestern U.S. border exploded Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on border security.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz blamed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for unprecedented numbers of unlawful entries into the U.S. and the humanitarian crisis developing in Texas cities.
Cruz laid the blame for migrant deaths and the rape of children by cartel traffickers at Mayorkas’ feet.
“Mr. Secretary, I want to say to you right now your behavior is disgraceful. And the deaths, the children assaulted, the children raped, they are at your feet. And if you had integrity, you would resign,” Cruz told Mayorkas of his handling of the border crisis.
“The men and women of the Border Patrol, they’ve never had a political leader undermine them. They despise you, Mr. Secretary, because you’re willing to let children be raped to follow political orders. This is a crisis. It’s a disgrace. And you won’t even admit this human tragedy is a crisis,” Cruz ranted.
“Look what has happened under your policy when you open up the border to the worst illegal immigration in our nation’s history: people die,” Cruz continued.
Mayorkas was stunned by the verbal shakedown, interrupting Senator Cruz to defend his record.
“Senator, you are so profoundly disrespecting my 22 years of government service,” he said.
The war of words continued outside the hearing, with Secretary Mayorkas refusing to address Senator Cruz’s criticisms.
“What the senator said was revolting. I’m not going to address it.”
However, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson provided a statement to The Dallas Express addressing the comments.
“Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people. The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the nation from terrorism, improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. Instead of pointing fingers, Congress should work with the Department and pass legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in over 40 years.”
Before the hearing was over, Texas Senator John Cornyn also questioned Mayorkas over fentanyl seizures at the border.
Mayorkas claimed that 90% of illegally trafficked fentanyl is brought to the United States through ports of entry. Customs and Border Patrol reports that 96% of fentanyl seizures take place at ports of entry.
Senator Cornyn questioned the number, calling it “totally made up.”
The senator was referring to unaccounted-for fentanyl shipments that bypass ports of entry in areas with little to no border security.
Senator Cornyn ended his questioning by stating that Mayorkas had “simply lost all credibility.”
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