Exclusive Video: Illegal Immigration Hurts Migrants’ Home Countries, Says JTFW Director

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Joint Task Force-West (JTF-W) Director Manuel Padilla, Jr. told Breitbart News that illegal immigration creates problems for migrants’ countries of origin during a recent 45-minute exclusive video interview.

During an interview with Breitbart News Border and Cartels Director Brandon Darby, Director Padilla explained the problems created for other countries due to illegal migration.

“What this administration has done in engaging with Mexico and also engaging with Central America — signing those accords with the Northern Triangle countries — I think those are huge steps in order for us collectively to address these problems,” Director Padilla told Darby.

“Illegal immigration is not just a problem for the United States,” he explained. “It’s a problem for Mexico and it’s a problem for those countries where people are leaving from.”

“If you keep those levels of emigration, people leaving their countries, what does their future look like when they have a lot of young people, a lot of the future workforce, a lot of their brainpower leaving the country?” the director asked. “I think when you start engaging with those countries — Mexico, Central America, or whoever we have a common interest with — and collectively start addressing those issues, I think there’s a lot of potential to bringing all these countries up to be able to deal and have a stake in the issue.”

During the 45-minute interview with Darby (below), Director Padilla discussed the humanitarian and national security crisis caused by the largely unsecured border between the United States and Mexico. These issues include human smuggling, drug trafficking, and cartel violence.

Matt Perdie / Breitbart News

The director also discussed the need for a physical barrier and how they impact border patrol agents versus cartels. He continues with a discussion about the abuses of migrants by their smugglers.

Padilla said the South Texas border has lagged behind in the construction of physical barriers because of heavier traffic in areas like El Paso and San Diego. “If you look a the tactical infrastructure that we have to include the walls is a lot less than other parts of the country,” he explained. “It’s kind of shifted traffic to different areas.”

“I was very hopeful, very happy when I saw that this administration was very focused on establishing the personnel, technology, and infrastructure to the levels that we are working on and also that engagement with Mexico and Central America,” Padilla concluded.

President Donald Trump appointed Director Padilla to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s Joint Task Force — West in October 2018. The task force coordinates the assets and personnel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal agencies to secure the U.S. southwest border.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.