ON DECK "MORNINGS WITH MARIA" IS LIVE RIGHT NOW. MARIA: WE KICK OFF THIS HOUR WITH THE GROWING BORDER CRISIS, PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCING PLANS TO NOMINATE HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS SHERIFF ED GONE EXACTLY TOES LEAD IMMIGRATION CUSTOMIZE ENFORCEMENT A MAJOR CRITIC OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICIES SLAMMED DEPORTATION AND BORDER SECURITY EFFORTS JOINING ME TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION AT THE BORDER AND INTERIOR OF OUR COUNTRY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS KEN PAXTON GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US IN TEXAS AND JOINING US. >> WELCOME TO TEXASAND WELCOME TO THE BORDER. >> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SITUATION WE ARE WINS WITH ITNESSING. >> A DISASTER I HAVE SPENT TIME TALKING TO SHERIFFS THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS BORDER PATROL CUSTOMER AND COMIEJS STATE POLICE A DISASTER YOU SEE THE FACILITIES KIDS SITTING THERE WONDERING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHERE ARE THEY GOING ALL CONFINED TOGETHER WITH YOU KNOW POSSIBLY SPREADING COVID IT IS A DISASTER. MARIA: WE’VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THESE FACILITIES YOU TRIED TO GO VISIT THE DONNA FACILITY, WHERE MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING SENATOR TED CRUZ OTHER SENATORS TOLD US THAT THE CAPACITY BECAUSE OF COVID IS 250 PEOPLE, THERE ARE MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE IN THAT FACILITY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WENT THERE. >> WE WERE TURNED DOWN. >> YOU ARE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL! ! YOU WERE TURNED DOWN. >> THEY DO NOT WANT ME TO SEE DONNA FACILITY STRAIGHT FROM WASHINGTON FROM OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON, HAVE DIRECTED THAT BECAUSE OF COVID, I SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED INTO THIS FACILITY. MARIA: ARE I MEAN THAT IS INCREDIBLE, AND KAMALA HARRIS VICE PRESIDENT, SAYS LOOK ONE ANSWER WOULD BE TO SEND 310 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNCIL SPEND MONDAY -- >> RATHER THAN SEND TO -- SEND TO BORDER HERE HELP PEOPLE HERE OPPOSED TO SEND THERE GO WILL BE LOSS TO THE POILGS DRUG CARTELS MAKES NO O SENSE AT ALL. >> ROB RIGHT OVER MY SHOULDER IS MEXICO THE OUTSKIRTS OF REYNOSA I MEAN IF I YOU JUMPED ON A O BOAT RIGHT NOW WILL TAKE ME THREE MINUTES TO GET THERE SEEMS AWFULLYIES. >> IT IS THERE ARE PLACES THAT ARE EVEN EASIER THAN THIS WATERS MORE SHALLOW PEOPLE CAN WALK ACROSS DON’T HAVE TO SWIM IT IS -- IT IS VERY EASY ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT DEPORTED WHEN YOU COME IN. MARIA: SO WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION THIS MORNING, ON SANCTUARY CITIES JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, MOVING TO REPEAL A POLICY FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THAT WITHHELD GRANT MONEY FROM CITIES AND STATES THAT REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH SANCTUARY BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS OVER RIDING POLICY THAT WE ARE LIFTING RESTRICTIONS ON SANCTUARY CITIES WE ARE OBVIOUSLY, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER TURNED ALL TRUMP HE BORDER POLICIES WHAT COULD YOU THINK IS BEHIND. >> NORRING FEDERAL LAW AS WELL FEDERAL LAW SAYS HIS JOB AS PRESIDENT IS TO FOLLOW FEDERAL LAW YOU HAVE TO DEPORT THESE PEOPLE SO BASICALLY, THEY ARE SAYING TO US, THEY DON’T LIKE WHAT CONGRESS PASSED, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO CREATE THEIR OWN RULES ABOUT BORDER SECURITY AND BASICALLY EVERYBODY IS WELCOME THERE IS NO THERE IS NO BORDER SECURITY THERE IS NO MORE IMMIGRATION POLICY, IN LAW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO FOLLOW, THEY ARE GOING TO JUST DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. MARIA: THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IS NOW SAYING THAT IT WILL LAUNCH A NEW OPERATION TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING ON SMUGGLE AT THE BORDER THIS NEW EFFORT LED BY CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AACCORDING TO GO DHS SECRETARY ALEJANDRA MAYORKAS WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS IS ABOUT. >> DOESN’T MAKE ACCEPTANCE THEY ARE OCCUPIED WITH DEALING WITH GRANTS O COMING IN CAN’T DO THEIR JOB HIGH PERCENTAGE WORKING AT FACILITIES DOING LOGISTICS TRILLIONS NOT EVEN ON WIDESPREAD TO CARTELS KNOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS IF MAKING A LOT OF MONEY IS CARTELS CHARGING MINIMUM 4,000 DOLLARS PER PERSON TO COME UP HERE THEN MAKING, MONEY ON DRUGS SMUGGLING BECAUSE NOW THE BORDER IS SO POROUS, IT IS OPEN IT IS OPEN FOR THEM THEM JUST -- LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. >> TALKING TO ONE AGENT SAID HEROIN UP 5,000% IN THE EVENT UNTIL UP 6,000% NUMBERS INCREDIBLE, THE DRUG CARTELS MAKING BILLIONS. >> HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM BECAUSE MAKING MONEY UL SIDES OF THIS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION KNOWS THIS THAT IS WHAT IS SHOCKING THEY ARE ALLOWING AIDING REALLY AIDING THE CARTELS MAKING THESE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY AND IMPORTING DRUGS MUSEUM TRAFFICKING WHAT
ABOUT MR. GHON EXACTLIEES ANY ABOUT MR. GHON EXACTLIEES ANY TERMS IN NOMINATION, MANY SAY ICE IS EFFECTIVELY SHUT DOWN CRITICAL OF DEPORTATION FEDERAL LAW CRITICAL OF LAWS CRITICAL WHAT TRUMP DID WHAT TRUMP DID ACTUALLY WAS WORKING A LONG-TERM PLAN THE WALL, HE WAS USING THE PROGRAM KEPT PEOPLE IN MEXICO THAT WITH CLAIMING ASYLUM BECAUSE MOST DIDN’T QUALIFY, THOSE PROGRAMS LOOKING -- BORDER PATROL AND CUSTOMS AND BORDER DO THEIR JOB WORKING WHAT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAID SAID WE DON’T WANT O THOSE TO WORK DO GOING TO UNDO YOU EVERY ONE OF THEM THEY ARE WE’RE GETTING RESULTS RIGHT NOW. >> ONE OF MY SOURCES SAYS NO ONE KAMALA HARRIS DOESN’T WANT TO COME HERE O BOTTOM MAINSTREAM MEDIA FOLLOWS HER EVERYWHERE SHE GOES IF SHE COMES HERE THE MEDIA WILL COME HER FORCED TO SHOW ON NIGHTLY WEBCASTS. >> THEY DO NOT WANT THE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT HERE BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT AMERICAN TEAM THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE BORDER THEY DON’T WANT YOU TALKING TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHERIFFS, WHOEVER, THEY DON’T WANT STORY OUT SO NOT GOING TO DRAW ATTENTION NOT COMING HERE DON’T WANT REPORTERS DON’T WANT STATE OFFICIALS IN FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT US TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. >> HAVE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH VICE PRESIDENT AT ALL HAS ANYONE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION REACHED OUT TO YOU? OR THE GOVERNOR. >> NOT THAT I KNOW OF CERTAINLY NOT ME I AM NOT AWARE GOVERNOR HAS HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS. >> OF YOU BEEN LEADING AG IN TERMS OF PUSHING BACK FILING LAWSUITS AGAINST THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR BLOWING OFF FEDERAL LAW, TALK ABOUT COVID RELATED ONE, BECAUSE NEARLY 2900 UNACCOMPANIED MINORS BEING HELD HE IN BORDER FACILITIES TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 LAST YEAR TELL ME ABOUT THIS THE THREAT WHAT YOU WOULD HE LIKE TO SEE. >> RESTRICTIONS PUT ON IMMIGRATION AS RELATED BECAUSE OF COVID MATE SENSE THE PRESIDENT PUT THOSE IN PLACE FOLLOWED YOU PRICES ARE, THEN PRESIDENTIAL BIDEN JUST UNDID THEM, IN FACT HYPOCRITICAL PUT MY STATE OTHER STATES AT RISK WHEN THESE FAMILIES COME IN, AND SPREAD IT AROUND, THE DETENTION FACILITY SENT TO OTHER PLACES NOT JUST TEXAS BUT ALL OVER COUNTRY HERE WE ARE TRYING TO OPEN OUR STATE THEY ARE CREATING A RISK THAT WILL HAVE A -- A FURTHER OUTBREAK OF COVID, AND NOT -- BE ABLE TO OPEN STATE THE WAY WE WANT TO -- >> LAST NIGHT WITH BORDER PROTECTION SAW BUSES COMING PICKING UP MIGRANTS TELL ME WHERE THESE PEOPLE GO. >> WE DON’T KNOW EVERYWHERE THEY’RE GOING THEY DON’T COMMUNICATE WITH US WE ASSUME FACILITIES BUT HEAR STORIES FLOWN AROUND THE COUNTRY TO OTHER PLACES. >> DESTINATION OF SHOW ISS. >> YEAH SO WE DON’T KNOW ALL WE KNOW IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MANY RELEASED, AND WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING. MARIA: BECAUSE THERE IS BEING TOLD COME BACK FOR A COURT DATE IT SOME NOT BEING TOLD TO COME BACK FOR COURT DATE. >> YEAH SO MANY ASYLUM, I AM GLAD WE HAVE ASYLUM PROCESS FOR PEOPLE PERCENT KOOUTDZ ONLY 14% OF GOES THROUGH PROCESS QUALIFY FOR ASYLUM THE REST OF THEM COME HERE, AND UNDER TRUMP WOULD HAVE TO WAIT IN MEXICO SOMEWHERE ELSE NOW THEY ARE HERE BEING RELEASED INTO PUBLIC SUPPOSED TO COME BACK FOR HEARING WE DON’T KNOW WHETHER THAT IS COULD BE YEARS THEY NEVER SHOW UP. >> SOMEBODY AT THE FACILITY LAST NIGHT, SAID TO ME ARE THERE TRYING TO MOVE THINGS QUICKLY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THEY WANT GET THEM ON BUS GET TOME THIS THE PROCESSING CENTER UNDER BRIDGE GET THEM OUT SO IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE OVERFLOWING I GUESS, IS THAT THE POINT JUST GET THEM PROCESSED DON’T STOP THE FLOW, JUST KEEP IT MOVING. >> ABSOLUTELY I THINK THAT HAS TO BE GOING ON THIS HAPPENED ON DAY ONE BIRTHDAY ADMINISTRATION WHY DIDN’T THEY PROPOSE A PLAN THINK THROUGH THIS? I THINK THEY WANTED TO CREATE MASSIVE CHAOS IMMIGRATION CATCH OBSERVER OFF GUARD DO IT THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING GOING TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS AMERICAN PEOPLE PUT UP WP IT. MARIA: WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE ARE YOU GETTING FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IU NOTICED PATROLMEN AND WELCOME HERE ARMED THESE ARE STATE OFFICERS. >> YES. >> NOT FEDERAL OFFICERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY HELP FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVEN THAT YOUR STATE IS ON THE FRONT LINES HERE. >> I AM SUPERIMPRESSED BORDER PATROL CUSTOMS IMMIGRATION THEY ARE TOLD NOT TO TALK TO MEDIA WHAT IS GOING ON NOT PLOWED TO DO JOBS THOSE GUYS, I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH THEM REAL WANT TO DO JOBS CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AS STATE OFFICERS STATE POLICE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO O COP PEOPLE
CLOOF THE BORDER WE CAN CLOOF THE BORDER WE CAN RELEVANT FOR VIOLATING STATE LAW. >> ONE AREA IN BIG BEND HE 10 AGENTS FOR 120 MILES BORDER SIGNING WHITE MALES CROSSING BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIMINALS, TELL ME ABOUT THOSE BORDER PATROL PEOPLE, BECAUSE, I WAS TOLD MANY ARE RETURNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION NOT PLANNING ON REPLACING THEM DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH MANPOWER. >> THERE IS NO WAY WE HAVE ENOUGH MANPOWER ESPECIALLY GIVEN SO MANY OCCUPIED WITH DEALING WITH FAMILIES DEPENDINGS CENTERS MOVED OVER INTO MORE LOGISTIC TRILLIONS, AND TAKING CARE OF KIDS, AND SO, WE ARE LOSING THE ABILITY AND THE CARTEL KNOWS THIS, PART OF THE PLAN CARTEL HAS SO MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COULD WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND B ADMINISTRATION BASICALLY HAND THIS HAD TO THEM ON SILVER PLATTER. >> ONE OFFICER TOLD ME LAST NIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER SAID THEY ARE CALFDEFINITELY PEOPLE WATCHING US IN THE BUSHES WAITING FOR COAST TO A CLEAR. >> SOME WALLS GO UP TO 30 FEET SOME 18 FEET SOME 14 FEET, YOU’VE GOT CARTEL MEMBERS DROPPING BABIES OVER WALL. >> AMAZING THE WALL WAS SUCH A GOOD PLAN, YOU’VE SEEN IT, IT IS HARD TO GET OVER TECHNOLOGY THAT EVEN IF YOU GOT OVER, THAT THEY WOULD KNOW YOU WERE THERE, AND WE JUST STOPPED BUILDING SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY DAY PAYING CONTRACTORS DOING NOTHING COMPLETELY STOPPED ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE STOPPED FOR 60 DAYS WE ARE STILL STOPPED, STILL. >> MORE WALL BEING BUILT THEY GOT 21 MILES BUILT, 89 MILD MORE PLAN ON BUILDING WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE JUST NOT GETTING DONE. MARIA: THIS TAKE A SECOND AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE’RE SAYING HERE. WE ARE SPENDING MORE THAN FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS IN STIMULUS JUST IN THE LAST MONTH 1/2, WHEN YOU LOOK AT 1.9 TRILLION, THE 2 1/4 TRILLION QUOTE/UNQUOTE INFRASTRUCTURE KNEW 1.8 PACKAGE WE ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT DEFENSE SPENDING CUT YOU ARE NOT SEEING A AID AT A BORDER SO THE PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF SPENDING, ARE MORE THAN 5 DOCTORALED IN YOU MONTH AND HALF DEFENSE SPENDING CUT NO MONEY FOR THE BORDER. >> SICKENING, BECAUSE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY PROTECTING THE COUNTRY AND BY THE WAY, WHEN BLLZ WALLED HAD TO TEAR DOWN LEVEVER GIVENS TO PROTECT FLOODING FROM RIO GRANDE WERE GOING TO REPLACE WITH WALL WOULD WORK WITH AS LEVY A LOT TORN DOWN THEY STOPPED PROJECT IF WE HAVE FLOODING GOING TO CAUSE OF THE DEVASTATION WE CAN’T STOP NOW. >> THIS IS THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP IN TERMS OF THE COST HERE. >> YEAH ABSOLUTELY. MARIA: DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO COME UP TONIGHT? IN THE PRESIDENT’S JOINT SESSION, TO CONGRESS? >> IT SHOULD. BUT AS TO WHETHER IT WILL I -- I MEAN I WOULD GUESS HE DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. >> UNBELIEVABLE AAG KEN PAXTON
