Following dueling trips to the southern border by President Biden and former President Trump, the ex-chief of the U.S. Border Patrol delivered a scathing assessment of the current administration.
Former Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz spoke with “60 Minutes” about the optics of the president’s appearance at the U.S.-Mexico border and lamented that he never once spoke with Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris – ostensibly the administration’s “border czar” – in his two years on the job.
“When agencies are making a decision based upon politics or whether they’re gonna get media coverage, hey, we’re gonna put all our personnel in this two-mile stretch. What about the other 200 miles?” Ortiz, who retired in 2023, said in the CBS News show interview.
Kudos to 60 Minutes for conducting this interview with Raul Ortiz. And trust me, @IanSams and the rest of the White House comms team is in a patent meltdown on how to possibly spin this. https://t.co/QOOJmtixOJ
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) March 4, 2024
“I’ve never had one conversation with the president. Or the vice president, for that matter. And so I was the chief of the border patrol. I commanded 21,000 people,” he added. “That’s a problem.”
Asked if he thought that “the White House has sent mixed messages to migrants,” Ortiz was blunt, saying, ” Yeah, most definitely.”
“We need to make sure that Central America, South America, Mexico, that those regions understand that if you pay a smuggler and you cross in between the ports of entry and you do not have a legitimate claim to some sort of asylum benefit, you’re gonna be sent back,” he said.
He was critical of the infighting between government agencies and between Texas and the federal government.
“The National Guardsmen– even, to some degree, the border patrol agents have become pawns in this political game between the two sides,” he said.
“Who’s winning?” asked Cecilia Vega.
“The cartels, the criminal organizations, that’s who’s winnin’ in all of this. They’re sittin’ back reapin’ all the benefits while they watch the state of Texas and Washington D.C. go at it,” Ortiz replied.
Social media had strong reactions to the interview of the former Border chief:
It’s nice that 60 Minutes can start covering this.
Not so nice that it took society being on the verge of collapse to force their hand.
— wokey the offended android (@kornpaup) March 4, 2024
The only times Biden and Kamala have cared about the border, is breath spent on blaming Republicans.
If they can’t called the CHIEF OF BORDER SECURITY in the TWO years he worked under them, their silence is compliance in the wreckage they’ve created.
— Heatherheather007 (@LibertyValkyrie) March 4, 2024
Wow?
How is this surprising?
Biden and Harris don’t care whatsoever about the US border.
They will never do anything to make the situation better.
They’ve gone 3 years and allowed in 8 million illegals.
That won’t be changing in 2024.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) March 4, 2024
Wow! I’m shocked 60 minutes would actually present the truth.
— Gio (@carsween3) March 4, 2024