ALLEN WEST: Border Crisis Is Stretching Texas Law Enforcement ‘Paper Thin’, Risks Overwhelming Hospitals

The crisis at the southern border is a twin crisis of illegal border crossing and seeding COVID cases into the United States.

It’s pretty clear that the Biden-Harris administration isn’t taking the flood of economic migrants crossing the border illegally very seriously.

As we are constantly told, we are in a global pandemic, but this isn’t enough to stop the stream of people entering the country at unlawful points of entry.

Southern Texas is Ground Zero for illegal entry into the U.S. and the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is one of the main destinations.

Just a little over a week ago, Fox News reported that COVID cases in the Rio Grande Valley surged 900% in July.

The RGV Sector is seeing more than 2000 apprehensions daily and accounts for 60% of confirmed COVID-positive detainees in the U.S. Border Patrol custody.

Axios reported on Wednesday that over 50,000 illegal border crossers were released into the U.S. interior with no court date and only a small fraction reported to ICE offices as they were required to do.

We’ve recently learned that some migrants who had tested positive for the coronavirus were housed in hotels in Southern Texas after a group of sick migrants was not adhering to public health guidelines in a La Joya Whataburger.

This is already stretching local law enforcement, but how long before these cases will end up in local hospitals?

Texas gubernatorial candidate Lt. Col. (Ret.) Allen West issued a statement on Friday.

How long can the failures at the border continue? How long will it be before law-abiding Texans are told they cannot have elective procedures? How long before hospitals are overrun with COVID cases, and ICUs fill up because leadership in Texas has refused to shut down the illegal invasion at our southern border? Why are we foolishly firing critical medical professionals for refusing mandated ‘vaccines’ which the state isn’t mandating for illegal immigrants?

Every day thousands are crossing and being released into our communities — here in Texas and all over our nation — with no COVID testing. DHS just last week issued a warning for citizens not to travel to the Rio Grande Valley. Additionally, State of Texas Assistance Requests (STARs) — which requests additional personnel in emergencies, when needs are beyond their capacity — continues to be denied and ignored.

Border Patrol is stretched paper thin, the Texas National Guard is processing hundreds of illegals per hour, while DPS is transporting illegals. Our Texas National Guard is not fully mobilized, and Governor Abbott’s lack of leadership and direction is not allowing them to stem the tide, instead only issue trespassing citations. Local sheriffs beg for the funds to combat the endless tide of cartel operatives and illegals that put their constituents and countrymen at risk. We need leaders who will protect the sovereignty of Texas and her citizens before it is too late.

Recently, West met with local law enforcement officers in Southern Texas to discuss the crisis at the border.