HOUSTON, Texas–Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to secure the border and put an end to the “humanitarian crisis.” Cruz’s letter to Johnson comes less than twenty-four hours after the top three Texas lawmakers sent a letter to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director, Colonel Steve McCraw. The letter directed McCraw to conduct an immediate surge of Texas law enforcement resources along the border. The outcry over the crisis has continued to build steam since Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby released over 40 leaked internal government photographs that depicting not only the extent of the illegal immigration crisis, but also the condition in which many of the minors were being held in.
In his letter to Secretary Johnson, Cruz spelled out the conditions facing law enforcement and unaccompanied children who are entering the United States illegally. “Each day, hundreds of unaccompanied children enter the United States after being handed to dangerous human smugglers,” Cruz began. “Along the way, those children are sometimes abused, sometimes sold into prostitution, sometimes recruited by drug cartels, and sometimes even killed. Those who make it are now being housed in United States military installations in Texas, California, and Oklahoma.”
Cruz reminded the Secretary of our obligation to protect these children, but also for the need to stop the flow of these children into this country. “Without a doubt, the growing humanitarian crisis at our border is a direct consequence of the Obama Administration’s refusal to secure the border,” Cruz continued. “Children are pushed into the hands of criminals because the Obama Administration has made it clear to the world that any child who arrives, regardless of whether they are granted formal legal status, will be permitted to stay in the United States.”
On June 12, Breitbart Texas reported that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote Sec. Johnson requesting $30 million be directed towards Texas state and local law enforcement agencies. “Unless the Department of Homeland Security or another federal agency provides funding,” Abbott stated, “the cartels–which are central to this crisis–will prevail because they profit from each illegal border crossing. With the requested aid, though, the Texas DPS can apply its proven record of success to help staunch this cartel-driven border security problem.”
Cruz requested that Johnson provide a prompt response to Abbott’s letter. “Should it be determined that implementation of this proposal would require action by Congress,” Cruz said, ” I stand ready and willing to do my part to protect our citizens and prevent any more children from falling into the hands of notorious human smugglers who often kidnap, rape, abuse, and murder them.”
“Preventing people from illegally immigrating to the United States should be the primary purpose of Customs and Border Protection,” he stated. “And, although this critical task is primarily a federal responsibility, Texas is prepared to take action to gain control of our borders.”
“The Obama Administration’s outright refusal to enforce the law is causing chaos for those of us who live and work in border states that must deal with the surge of immigrants who are illegally arriving each day,” he continued.”
Referring to the confrontation Cruz had with Secretary Johnson in last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Cruz said, “When last we spoke at the Senate Judiciary Committee in June, I was disappointed that you were unwilling to acknowledge how the Administration’s policies have contributed to the crisis.”
Bob Price is a staff writer and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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