On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “@This Hour,” Border Patrol agent Hector Garza said the federal government is “aiding and abetting and facilitating” illegal immigrants in crossing the border, and that many of the new illegals are “going to depend on our welfare system.”
Garza argued that many of illegal immigrants will not be sent back and burden the welfare system because “these illegal aliens are being released into our country,” and most “are never going to report back to an immigration hearing.”
He stated that because most of the illegal immigrants are families with young children, they will have to depend on the welfare system, asking “how do you expect a mother from Honduras that’s crossing the country with three to five children and they’re all, you know, young aged children how do you expect for that mother to come into this country and actually begin working?”
He also predicted that “this illegal alien coming to the country with three to five kids, that person is basically going to depend on our welfare system, on our government assistance and you know what, that is costing the taxpayer a lot of money.”
After Garza criticized the federal government’s handling of the situation on the southern border, CNN and The Daily Beast contributor Ruben Navarrette questioned Garza’s integrity, stating “given the fact that there’s a gag order on Border Patrol agents in Texas, I’m surprised he’s even on this show saying these things if he’s with the border patrol at all.”
Garza argued that the federal government is “aiding and abetting” illegal immigrants, and that they are surrendering themselves to Border Patrol agents “because they’re getting a free pass.” He characterized the situation as “a rampant abuse of our immigration system.”
He also stated that the re-direction of Border Patrol officers from enforcement to processing creates “a very porous border where dangerous criminals and dangerous drugs are entering our country undetected and they’re making their way to our communities.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett