Fox host Laura Ingraham was stunned Monday after immigration lawyer Allen Orr argued that the border crisis is rooted in a series of policy failures.
Orr appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” to share his thoughts on the ongoing crisis at the southern border amid record numbers of migrant encounters. Ingraham began by asking Orr how former President Donald Trump was able to bring the border under fair control during 2019. But as soon as Orr countered by citing COVID-19, Ingraham stepped in to correct the immigration lawyer’s point. (Related: Migrant caught on video cutting border and leading dozens of people before being stopped by National Guard)
Mr. Orr went on to say that there was “never” a border solution because Congress did not act on policy reform, and Mr. Ingraham questioned his assertion. The FOX host then began questioning Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), about whether he believed Orr’s position was correct.
“Allen, how did Donald Trump have so much control over the border by 2019? How did that come to be?” Ingraham asked.
“I don’t think it was out of control. I think COVID played a big role and Title 42 played a role in that to some extent,” Orr began.
“2019, Allen. 2019,” Ingraham corrected.
“Well, the numbers were still a little bit dire. The problem is that there were still people coming to the United States using non-traditional methods to enter the United States,” Orr responded. “So the border was never the answer. Congress hasn’t acted on the border since the early ’80s.”
“Is that all your argument is now? I mean, it’s just, I like you, Allen, and I’m so glad you came tonight. To me, that’s just the thing. It’s a shame you’re making that argument, because 2019 is going, Tom, I’m going to ask you a tough question next, right? The influx is still pretty high in 2019, and all we need is immigration reform. ” Ingraham asked.
“Under President Trump, we had the most secure border of my career,” Homan said. “I joined the Border Patrol in 1984. You don’t have to take my word for it. Visit cbp.gov and look at the Border Patrol’s own data. Illegal immigration at 45-year low Illegal immigration has fallen by 83 to 90 percent, depending on what time period you look at it. An unprecedented success, that’s just a fact. Anyone can see the data.”
According to U.S. Border Patrol data, in 2023 alone, there were more than 1.7 million encounters with illegal immigrants crossing the border, of which more than 824,000 were reported to have been released into the United States with a scheduled court appearance. There is.
The Senate tried to pass a bipartisan border security bill in February, but Republicans blocked it in a 49-50 vote. Before the draft was released, many Republican lawmakers were weary of the bill, citing potential loopholes in illegal immigration laws. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and his fellow lawmakers denounced the bill after it was announced, warning that if passed by the Senate, the bill would be dysfunctional on arrival. .
After that bill failed, Congress passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill that included increased funding to hire 22,000 Border Patrol agents and increase ICE capacity by 7,500 beds.
