Indiana Rep. Jim Banks called the situation at the southern border "out of control," describing to Newsmax TV on Friday that the conditions he witnessed during a recent visit as a "humanitarian crisis."
Appearing on "Spicer & Co.," Banks said his visit Thursday to a border detention facility was a stark difference to his trip last summer, which he described as "pretty calm."
Banks explained how he met with sheriffs, judges, and local elected officials in Del Rio, Texas, who told him the rate of illegal people crossing the border was lower in 2020.
"This is a humanitarian crisis, in a situation that is worse than anything that they've ever seen before," the 41-year-old, third-term Republican said referring to border officials.
"Last year in 2020 there was a flat line in the number of migrants who were crossing illegally. And we now have over five times as many families who are crossing illegally just in that section of the border alone."
Banks decried President Joe Biden's efforts to maintain order at the border.
"This is a humanitarian crisis that is of Joe Biden's making," he said. "And unfortunately, at this point, the president and the vice president refused to call it what it is, which is a crisis.
"Secondly, they refused to do anything about it. And that's why we at the Republican Study Committee are calling on the president, the vice president and Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi to get down to the border and listen to those who are on the ground. And hopefully that will change their mind."
The large influx of illegal migrants attempting to cross the border was a direct result of the "Biden administration, reversing ... Trump's policies," and " reinstituting catch and release," Banks said.
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