TEXAS — A video posted to social media shows hundreds of migrants waiting to cross the Rio Grande into Texas, even as the Biden administration insists there is no “crisis” at the border.
The video appeared on the TikTok account of “Tripwires & Triggers,” a service started by Jaeson Jones to keep the public informed about the situation at the southern border.
Jones previously served as a captain in the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Fox News reported. He narrates the video on TikTok.
@tripwirestriggers #usa #mexico #conservative #politics #dea #borderpatrol #cia #fbi #news #ice #caravan #patriots narcos #breakingbad #biden #maga #border
“What you are about to see are migrants who have just paid the Peso or the tax to the Cartels and an independent smuggling group working directly for a Cartel,” Jones said as the video shows a raft crossing the river with almost a dozen migrants.
“You’re literally seeing a handoff from a criminal organization, that is responsible for thousands of murders in Mexico, handing these people off to a U.S. law enforcement officer,” Jones said.
A version of the video without commentary later appeared on Twitter.
Video taken in SE Texas this morning. Huge line of people waiting for smugglers to ferry them across the Rio Grande into the US. Video courtesy of Tripwires and Triggers. #BorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/KtONTzfP85
— Charlotte Cuthbertson (@charlottecuthbo) March 11, 2021
Jones has extensively covered the situation across the border. He alarmingly says in the video that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have been moved from border security to migrant care and processing, a significant difference in job function.
The video hits the internet as the White House denies any kind of “open border” with Mexico.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that there has been “a large flow of children” crossing the border, but she insisted that a majority of migrants have been turned away via Title 42 health protections.
“We certainly also recognize because the president and our administration has made a decision that the way to humanely approach immigration is to allow for unaccompanied children to come and be treated with humanity and be in a safe place while we’re… trying to get them into homes and sponsors homes that some more may come to our border,” Psaki said.
The Biden administration has refused to call the dramatic increase in migrants — particularly child migrants, who cannot be expelled under Title 42 — a crisis.
Coronavirus detection is problematic since Border Patrol is not testing migrants.
However, the city of Brownsville has tested individuals since Jan. 25, with 204 of the 1,700 migrants testing positive for the coronavirus — around 9.25% positivity, Fox News learned.
The number of migrant children detained along the border has tripled in the last two weeks to more than 3,250. CBP recently reported that it encountered 100,441 individuals in February, a 28% increase over January. Of those, 9,457 were unaccompanied children (UACs).
“This crisis as a result of President Biden’s policies invites illegal immigration and is creating a humanitarian crisis for Texas,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “His administration is helping the cartels make money and grow stronger.”
Gov. Abbott spoke to journalists following an aerial tour of the border where he said he saw 21 people get off of a raft that was pulled back to the Mexican side and cross into Texas. He said there were children as well as adults on the raft, CBS DFW reported.
Witnessing illegal immigration first-hand, Abbott was impassioned about the current situation at the border.
“In all of last year, in the Rio Grande valley sector there were about 90,000 apprehensions. Just this year there have been 108,000 apprehensions there,” said Abbott. “More than 800 criminal aliens have been arrested this year, including violent MS-13 gang and drug cartel members.”