Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) toured the cartel smuggling routes in Pinal County, Arizona over the weekend, which has seen increased traffic after President Joe Biden rolled back immigration policies that were put in place by the Trump administration.
In response to the relaxed approach from the Biden administration, there has been a massive influx of illegal immigrants crossing into the United States. Top officials have refused to call the degrading situation at the southern border a crisis, rather calling it a challenge and place blame for the surge on the Trump administration.
"This is astounding to me. I think if they say a lie long enough, people are going to believe it. It's just not true," Blackburn told Townhall during an interview on Monday, pointing to how because Border Patrol is so overwhelmed with people crossing daily, they are having to release them without giving the notice to appear for their asylum court date.
"Trump had ended 'catch and release.' He implemented the 'Remain in Mexico' policy, it was working well with the president of Mexico...They were building the wall, which by the way has been stopped...But it is just wrong them for them to say, even to act like, Trump created this issue," she continued. "No, Donald Trump made America safer."
I’m on the ground in Pinal County with @sherifflamb1 @PinalCSO getting a firsthand view of how the border crisis is impacting communities. Cartels are using human smugglers as mules to take drugs across the border and push them into our neighborhoods. pic.twitter.com/AcepA3Uct5
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) March 21, 2021
Blackburn said it was astounding to see firsthand how organized the Sinaloa cartel has become in their drug and human trafficking operations.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, whose county sits right on the U.S.-Mexico border, told Blackburn they have seen an "all-time high" peak in human trafficking in the area, adding the border has become chaotic since Biden took office.
Joe Biden created a crisis at our southern border. Both sheriff’s have seen a massive uptick since Biden has taken office. @sherifflamb1 @cc_sheriff pic.twitter.com/VtsizNB6Re
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) March 21, 2021
"We know what they're doing. They have a crisis on their hands. It is totally out of control. And when you have a secretary of Homeland Security who goes out and says, 'The border is secure, the border is closed,' that is an outright lie. There is no truth in that statement and I think he knows there is no truth in that statement," Blackburn said.
Due to the large numbers of illegal immigrants crossing into the United States, many of the holding and detention facilities are over capacity, often times leading to poor conditions inside. Members of the press have been banned from taking tours or going on ride alongs with Border Patrol from higher-ups within the Biden administration.