(CNSNews.com) - A Texas sheriff said Tuesday that there needs to be consequences for migrants crossing the southern border illegally, because over the last two years during the Biden administration, there haven’t been any.
“As you said, 49 years I've lived on the southwest border, my entire life, 26 years as a Border Patrol agent, the last 11 years as the patrol agent in charge in my home community of Sanderson, Texas, which is out there in Terrell County,” Sanderson Sheriff Thad Cleveland told Fox News’ “America Reports.”
“We have to remember the original intent that Title 42 was brought forth was to protect the agents of the U.S. Border Patrol, our customs and border protection officers as well as the local communities. At some point we do need to get away from Title 42, and we need to get back to having a consequence for people that cross our borders illegally, who enter into the United States illegally. Right now over the last two years, we’ve had no consequences,” he said.
Cleveland said that the influx of illegal immigrants has made a “huge” impact on his town over the last two years.
“Sanderson, ironically enough, is located just right smack dab in the middle of Del Rio, Texas and El Paso, Texas and 600 miles of border in between those two cities, and we see a lot of focus on El Paso and Del Rio and what’s going on there, but I can tell you our community, other small communities along the Texas border are also suffering,” the sheriff said.
“We don't have the resources to address the impacts that are happening with these illegal aliens that are crossing in our areas. It’s been tremendous. I have two deputies, myself and two deputies, one DPS trooper who’s here on a full-time basis, and we’re constantly working border security activity. It pulls us away. It pulls EMS services away, and it affects our private landowners as well,” he said.
As CNSNews.com reported, the Biden administration is requesting $3.5 billion in a budget request for the border.
When asked whether more money will fix the border crisis, the sheriff said, “No, sir. What can fix it is what's coming out of the White House, the message that's delivered from the United States of America to those people looking to come to our country.
“Also what could fix it is the Migrant Protection Protocols. That was something that was taking place under President Trump, and it worked,” Cleveland said.
“Also, I mentioned that you know, there are some pros with Title 42, but it needs to go away, it served its purpose, but what it does do is it enables our Border Patrol agents to stay in the field longer. It shortens the amount of processing that's required thus giving them more time to be in the field to apprehend the groups, but we need to get back,” he said.
“We need to get back to ensuring that we have a consequence for someone who enters our country illegally, and the Remain in Mexico MPP Program. I just want to mention that I'm -- the last week I've seen seven people that were allowed into this country,” the sheriff said.
“Five were Cubans. Two were Nicaraguans that were allowed into this country under asylum within the last four months and they’ve already come into my county to smuggle agents -- so not everybody is coming to do good things,” Cleveland added.
Host John Roberts pointed out that critics say DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has no credibility at home, in the international community, and that none of the leaders of the countries that are part of the root cause of immigration are listening.
“I have to agree with that,” the sheriff said. “I tell you, with what's happening in the Department of Homeland Security, I don't know how you can go home and look your family in the face or his family and say that you are doing all that you can do with homeland security at this time, with border security, and we have to make sure we separate border security and illegal immigration.
“It's a solvable problem. I've said it for many years. This problem is solvable. There are short-term solutions. Again, consequences, MPP, long-term solutions, border security and change the immigration laws,” Cleveland added.