Many media outlets talk about the Border Crisis, defining it as one of illegal entry into the United States. There are a large number of illegals coming across the border daily. We hear monthly figures from Customs and Border Patrol. You can even find these figures on the CBP website.
The growing concern over the impact these numbers of illegals will have on the US economy and government-sponsored programs financed through taxpayer dollars seldom receives any attention in most media outlets. Perhaps because they are altruists and would like to believe they are helping the less fortunate. It does not matter to them; it is not through spending their own money. They do, however, fail to see the larger picture.
Most recent figures show 200,000 illegal migrants coming into the United States each month. This figure does not include the estimated 40,000 per month in "got-aways," those who are not apprehended. Estimates of cost per migrant to be smuggled into the country are about $4000 for Mexicans and $9000 for Central Americans. Using an average fee of $4800 per person times the 240,000 encounters, we get $1.152 billion paid to smugglers each month or $13.824 billion per year. A lucrative business in anybody's book.
Obviously, most migrants cannot afford to pay the fees charged. If they could, why would they leave their home country in the first place? So how do they pay? Many save for years to come up with whatever portion of the money they can. Others may borrow from relatives, promising to send them money from the US once they arrive and find work. Others promise their souls to the smugglers that prey upon them. They serve as mules to bring in illegal drugs or prostitute themselves until their debt is paid off.
Drug overdoses in the United States take the lives of 275 people each day. Most of these drugs come across our southern border, along with the illegal migrants. Earlier this year, CBP intercepted an opioid shipment containing enough fentanyl to kill every living soul in the United States. The DEA recently said every street drug they encounter contains some fentanyl. Looking at the news, we can see why the DEA has warned of mass overdoses.
The CBP recently disclosed the number of terrorist watch list encounters on the southern border. While the number may not be high, we all know it only takes one terrorist to cause horrific damage. If all of these concerns do not constitute a National Security Crisis requiring immediate action, then what does?
