Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) Wednesday the agency does not have operational control of the southern border, contradicting the Biden administration’s narrative.
“Does DHS have operational control of our entire border?” Green asked at the hearing in McAllen, Texas.Click here to download the FREE KWAM App to stay up to date on breaking news across Memphis and the Mid-South.
“No, sir,” Ortiz responded.
Green held up a definition of operational control in the U.S. code as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics and other contraband.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed last year to Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) that the Department of Homeland Security has operational control of the border..@RepChipRoy goes NUCLEAR on DHS Secretary Mayorkas when he claims that the United States has "operational control" over the southern border.
Chairman Nadler then accuses Rep. Roy of "slandering" Secretary Mayorkas. pic.twitter.com/o2L4rCqrTD
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 28, 2022
🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING: Border Patrol Chief Ortiz contradicts Secretary Mayorkas and admits the truth:
DHS does NOT have operational control over our southern border. pic.twitter.com/YmpVy0t6c1
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) March 15, 2023
Green asked the head of the border patrol about Mayorkas’ comments.
“About ten years ago, we used operational control as a measuring stick of our effectiveness along the southwest border. My new strategy is geared towards mission advantage,” Ortiz responded.
“You heard the secretary, he said we have operational control,” he said, before pointing to the definition. “That’s the definition.”
Rep. Tim Burchett Slams Biden: ‘Border is a Complete Disaster’
Ortiz responded: “Based upon the definition you have sir, up there, no.”
“We don’t have operational control?” Green asked.
“No sir,” Ortiz said.
Green also exposed his Democrat colleagues for a “political stunt” by boycotting the hearing.
.@RepMarkGreen rips into committee Democrats for being "AWOL" from the border crisis hearing: "The Democrats also talk about bipartisanship, how this committee is supposed to be a bipartisan committee. I guess for them bipartisanship, is only when you agree exactly with them." pic.twitter.com/O629S8mDVw
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) March 15, 2023
🚨#BREAKING I just asked Border Patrol Chief Raúl Ortiz about the ‘gotaways’.
At today’s Homeland Security Committee hearing, Chief Ortiz testified that there an additional 20% of illegal alien ‘gotaways’ completely unaccounted for.
The border is indeed NOT SECURE. pic.twitter.com/TO02mtbJXV
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) March 15, 2023
