Biden Border Nominee Refuses to Call Border a Crisis with No “Ready to go Plan”

Chris Magnus, President Joe Biden’s pick to head Customs and Border Protection, refuses to describe the surge of migrants crossing the border a crisis. However, he did acknowledge that the matter is “very serious,” although he provided no solution.

On Tuesday, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) asked Magnus if the situation at the border has reached crisis level.

To this, the former Tucson, Arizona police chief assured them that “that no one believes there is greater urgency to this matter than I do.”
This caused the senator to say that “urgent strikes the common ear as less than a crisis,” before inquiring, “Are you saying there is not a crisis at the border?”

Young mentioned that, per the Department of Homeland Security, 1.3 million migrants have gone across the border.
“What number of illegal crossings would you consider to be a crisis?” the senator asked. “What if we were to quintuple that number, would you then call it a crisis?”

WATCH: Biden's Customs and Border Protection nominee Chris Magnus repeatedly refuses to call the border crisis a "crisis."

"Does it really matter?" pic.twitter.com/mCMwRG4FEg

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 19, 2021

To this, Magnus answered that “the situation is very serious” and also said that “regardless of what we call it, it is something important to me.”

Even though he noted the significance of the situation at the border earlier in the said hearing, Magnus couldn’t answer anything when asked about how he would fix it.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) stated that if Magnus was confirmed, the latter would be “walking into a chaotic situation” at the southern border where the surge of illegal immigration continues to surge and record increases in the entry of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the U.S.
“What is your plan?” Lankford asked Magnus.

In response, Magnus said: “Of course, if there was a ready-to-go plan to address all the problems that you’ve just described, my guess is that not only CPB but you all as a body would have seen to it that it was implemented,” adding that he believes building relationships and acquire accurate information are the key to formulating a plan.

Many GOP members have felt concerned about Magnus because of his support for sanctuary cities in the past. At the hearing, he stated that, even though “there have been some legitimate issues raised” about police detaining people without a warrant, as CBP head his “primary role” would be “to enforce the law.”

Up Next:

• Lindsey Graham Pushes for the Impeachment of Sleepy Joe over Border Crisis
• DHS Mayorkas Needs to ‘Resign’ Over Border Crisis says Republican Governors