Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia firmly advocates for closing the southern border due to the escalating influx of illegal immigration. He criticizes fellow Democrats who downplay the crisis, emphasizing the significant security threats associated with an open border.
During a conversation with Fox News host Sean Hannity on December 13, Manchin discussed the issue, responding to statistics presented by Hannity that highlighted approximately eight million encounters with illegal immigrants along the border since President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) consistently highlight the severity of the situation, with October marking the thirty-second consecutive month of illegal immigrant encounters exceeding the highest recorded month during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
In congressional testimony in mid-November, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed substantial concern about potential terrorist threats stemming from individuals crossing the border illegally.
Wray underscored a notable rise in the number of known or suspected terrorists attempting border crossings, reaching record levels in recent years. This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Hannity, who emphasized the widespread national security concerns associated with the border crisis, particularly highlighting the specific threat of terrorism.
“I am 100 percent certain that we have—because those borders have been wide open—terror cells now in this country,” Mr. Hannity said, before asking Mr. Manchin if he agreed.
“I’m as concerned as you are,” the West Virginia senator replied. “Our borders are a mess.”
During the fiscal year of 2023, the southern border witnessed an unprecedented 169 arrests of individuals listed on the terrorist watchlist, setting a historic record.
Republicans consider illegal border crossings a paramount concern for the nation, while polling indicates that Democrats rank this issue relatively low in terms of priority.
“For any Democrat—or anybody—to say it’s not in jeopardy right now … we have to close our borders down. We’ve got to control the borders,” Mr. Manchin said.
“The Democrats had been pulled so far to the left, and I think Joe Biden has been pulled to the left,” Mr. Manchin said. “I know Joe Biden. He never has governed that way. He wasn’t a senator for 36 years on the extremes, and I’m hoping he comes back to the middle.”
