Border Patrol agents are expanding nationwide support for federal immigration enforcement by assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Chief Michael Banks told Newsmax on Saturday.
Banks said the Trump administration is intensifying operations aimed at removing criminal illegal immigrants, citing a renewed national mission and the support of additional agents deployed across the country.
Banks appeared on Newsmax’s “The Count” after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem released details on what she called Operation Dirtbag.
DHS said the effort led to the arrest of 150 illegal alien sex offenders across Florida and more than 230 criminal illegal immigrants statewide.
Asked about the administration’s priority of removing criminal offenders, Banks criticized the prior administration and emphasized the need for expanded cooperation between Border Patrol and ICE.
“Promises made, promises kept. And the fact is this, under the Biden administration, over 10 million illegal aliens were let into this country,” he said.
“The Biden administration would have you believe they were vetting them. That was all a lie.
“They were not being vetted because the countries they came from would not share their vetting,” Banks said.
He added that effectively controlling the border has allowed agents to assist ICE in cities across the country.
“And right now we’ve got U.S. Border Patrol agents assisting ICE in 25 different cities and adding more cities every day across this nation to help them,” Banks said.
“We always like to say the United States Border Patrol doesn’t stop patrolling the border at the border; we’ll go anywhere in the United States.
“And if you’re here illegally, you need to be worried. You should leave now.
“Take advantage of the opportunities this government is giving you to leave on your own,” he said.
“If not, we will find you. We will prosecute you and deport you.”
Banks said the false media rhetoric has contributed to escalating hostility toward federal officers.
“And it’s no wonder that we’ve seen an 8,000% increase in threats against United States Border Patrol and ICE agents and over a 1,000% increase in the actual violence against Border Patrol and ICE,” he said, attributing the rise to Democrat elected officials who he said spread “flat out lies.”
Banks added that agents are focused on arresting those who entered the country illegally, especially offenders who exploit vulnerable communities.
“Our No. 1 priority is to target criminal illegal aliens in this country,” he said.
“But I want to be very clear: When you target criminal illegal aliens, you are going to run into the illegal aliens that cross the border illegally, because criminal illegal aliens prey on [the] illegal alien community with the hopes that they will not be reported.”
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