While the Chinese spy balloon story continues to gain attention, the situation at all of the nation's borders, including a new influx of Chinese nationals, continues to be a "catastrophic crisis," but President Joe Biden and his administration are playing a "shell game' with the numbers, former acting Border Patrol Commissioner Mark Morgan told Newsmax on Wednesday.
"What you're hearing is them claiming victory, that the numbers have decreased," Morgan told "Wake Up America." "They're not being honest with the American people. They simply shifted that threat from in between the ports of entry to the ports of entry where we've seen over the past 24 months an increase of 212% of those coming to our lawful ports of entry and knowingly filing false asylum claims."
More Chinese nationals are crossing the nation's southern border, with those numbers increasing by as much as 1,230% over last year's, according to reports. Morgan said the increase "further illustrates what has happened" to make the situation with the nation's borders a matter not only about immigration but also about national security.
The U.S. northern border also is becoming a serious issue, said Morgan, pointing to the Border Patrol's Swanton Sector, which is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeastern New York.
"We've seen a 700% increase in those illegally entering [there] and we have no idea how many are getting away because we just don't have the resources, technology, or infrastructure on the northern border," said Morgan. "You don't hear that from this administration."
According to new reports, migrant encounters at the southern border were at their highest point ever in December, at about 250,000, but dropped by almost 100,000 in January. But Morgan said claims that they are low must be kept in perspective.
"Even though the numbers have gone down by 40%, we're still in a catastrophic issue on our southern border specifically, but also on our northern border," he said. "The numbers that the body administration talks about is only the southern border."
The administration is also not talking about the coastal waterways, such as the Miami sector, where the number of illegal entries is growing, said Morgan.
"When you take in total encounters and what's happening with respect to all our borders, the numbers are not significantly going down with respect to total encounters," he said. "Then again, yes, it's good anytime we can reduce those that are illegally entering. That's good because that means more Border Patrol resources on the frontline, to stop drugs, criminals, and potential security threats."
What should be alarming is how that's being accomplished, Morgan added.
"It's been accomplished through a version and a violation of law," he said. "What they've done is they've told the entire world, 171 countries, Here's the deal: If you stop illegally entering in between the ports of entry, come to our lawful point of entry. We will continue to look the other way as you knowingly and willfully file fraudulent asylum claims.
"That's why we've seen, from 2021 to now, a 212% increase in those coming to our ports of entry. They're being processed and released."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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