(NewsNation) — After Vice President Kamala Harris twice declared the southern border was “secure” during an interview on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) came out Wednesday refuting that claim.
Contrary to Harris’ prognosis, DHS sources confirmed Wednesday that more than 560,000 undocumented individuals have successfully evaded law enforcement this fiscal year, not including hundreds of thousands who surrendered to Border Patrol agents.
It’s the people evading authorities that Blake Masters, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, says he is most concerned about.
“The getaways — that’s what keeps me up at night,” Masters said while speaking with NewsNation’s “Rush Hour” on Wednesday.
Law enforcement has been trying to catch smugglers in Texas, as thousands have been swimming the Rio Grande or walking across from Mexico into Eagle Pass in the Del Rio Sector to self surrender. Meanwile, Arizona’s Yuma sector is experiencing an average of 6,000 encounters each week, according to Border Patrol statistics.
“There have been 500 to 1,000 people coming through just the last 24 hours,” Masters said. “But then Vice President Kamala Harris wants to say we have operational control and the border is secure,” he continued.
Wednesday morning, Border Patrol reported encountering 500 migrants — mostly from Cuba and Peru. Masters says he believes everything that can be done to secure the border should be done.
“I’m a kitchen sink guy … get it done,” he said.
Official numbers for the southern border will be released by Customs and Border Protection this week. Annual encounters are expected to surpass 2 million — the highest such number ever recorded.