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Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The issues discussed ranged from drug smuggling, penetration of drug cartels deep in the United States and the counternarcotics efforts being addressed by Department of Homeland Security and its divisions. McAleenan argued — with statistics to back his claims — that Trump’s request for $5.7 billion for border wall infrastructure is an absolute necessity as part of a comprehensive plan to address the crisis.

The growing humanitarian crisis took precedence as well. McAleenan spoke at significant length about trans-national criminal trafficking organizations, which he said are expected to make roughly $2.5 billion a year off of illegal immigration into the U.S. alone. He addressed the long journey of children being trafficked into the U.S. In one example, he spoke of children from Guatemala, who travel more than 1500 miles under gruesome conditions. Some of the children spend more than 30 days being trafficked and are subjected to physical, sexual abuse and in many cases have contracted infectious diseases that threaten their lives, he said.

It’s not a manufactured crisis. It’s not a cable television ploy. It is real. It is serious. It is a threat, Sen. Graham

Sen. Graham, R-SC, did not mince words.

“I want to be direct – contrary to what some political opponents and media outlets claim the situation at our southern border is dangerous and growing worse,” Graham said in his opening statement.

“It’s not a hoax. It’s not a manufactured crisis. It’s not a cable television ploy. It is real. It is serious. It is a threat. And it poses a direct challenge to the safety and security of the citizens of the United States. To believe otherwise is to deny reality and ignore the facts,” he stated.

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“I have heard a number of commentators observe that even with these alarming levels of migration, the numbers are lower than the historical peaks, and as a result, they suggest what we are seeing at the border today is not a crisis,” said McAleenan. “I fundamentally disagree. From the experience of our agents and officers on the ground, it is indeed both a border security—and a humanitarian—crisis.”

Two weeks ago, in a period of seven days Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley, sector apprehended more than 7,000 people crossing illegally into the country, said a Border Patrol Agent, who spoke to SaraACarter.com.

“The numbers are staggering,” they said.

Family Units

McAleenan noted one reason why. He said the biggest issue is “for the first time in history, more than half of all those crossing are members of family units—typically one adult and one child.”

The Border Patrol has already apprehended more families crossing illegally than during all of last year, McAleenan said. McAleenan noted that 87 percent of illegal entries come through areas of the border outside of the Ports of Entry.

“We absolutely need barriers,” McAleenan told Sen. Graham during questioning. He added that the ten areas along the border selected to build a wall “is absolutely essential.”

“This is a brand new set of phenomenon with families and children,” McAleenan added. “The trends are going the wrong way.”

If the new laws are implemented, the border walls requested are built, then the criminal trafficking organizations won’t be able to promise the migrants refuge in the U.S., McAleenan accessed.

He noted that as of now 3,000 families a day are entering into the United States daily. And McAleenan projected that roughly 75,000 family units could enter the U.S. by May, which would be the highest on record.

Staggering Numbers

The number is staggering and Sen. Feinstein said “wow,” surprised at the growing numbers of illegal crossings this year.

“I find no reason to disagree with you,” said Feinstein to McAleenan with regard to keeping family units together and getting healthcare to children immediately. McAleenan spoke heartfelt about the two young children who died in Border Patrol custody but explained that the Border Patrol has saved the lives of many illegal migrant children who arrive with severe medical issues.