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Most Americans Don’t Know How Bad the Border Crisis Is

Posted on Friday, December 30, 2022
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by Outside Contributor
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This week could mark the most consequential development on the U.S.-Mexico border since January 2021, when President Joe Biden essentially opened the nation’s doors to millions of illegal border crossers. Depending on how court fights turn out, Title 42, the Trump-era measure that allows the U.S. government to quickly return illegal crossers to Mexico on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID, will likely soon expire. After that, officials expect a flood of illegal crossers, all coming into the United States confident that they, like hundreds of thousands before them just this year, will be allowed to stay.

The disaster will come on top of the Biden administration’s currently disastrous border policy. In fiscal year 2022, the period from Oct. 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022, Border Patrol agents encountered a record number of migrants crossing illegally into the United States – 2,378,944. Add onto that the estimated 600,000 illegal crossers who got away without any contact with the Border Patrol, and that means close to 3 million border crossers in a single year. The two months since the beginning of the new fiscal year have seen crossings at an even higher rate. And that is before the Title 42 change.

Already, the numbers have risen to unheard-of levels. Recently the Border Patrol reported encountering 16,000 migrants in just 48 hours – 8,000 per day. Compare that to the assessment of Jeh Johnson, President Barack Obama’s head of homeland security, who once said that 1,000 encounters a day constituted a crisis. Now, there are predictions that post-Title 42 encounters might hit as many as 14,000 a day. 

Cities and towns along the border have been overwhelmed since the Biden changes took place. Look at these figures from El Paso, Texas, in a story by the Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli: “According to all the data that are publicly available from the city, the 678,000 residents of El Paso have seen 84,082 immigrants released into their town between August 22 and December 11.” That’s an extraordinary influx in the last few months, repeated in other U.S. communities along the border.

But perhaps just as extraordinary has been the decision by many major media organizations that what is happening on the border is no big deal. In particular, major television news networks, with the notable exception of Fox News, have virtually pretended that the crisis was not happening. Recently Fox’s Bill Melugin, who has covered the current crisis close-up since it began, was asked about coverage on the national networks. “I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen them down here in my 19 months of covering this,” Melugin said.

Now, we are seeing what happens when so many in the media ignore a story. A new Harvard-Harris poll shows that Americans have no idea how bad the crisis is. When asked how many illegal crossers are entering the United States, they grossly underestimate the number. They are, in short, in the dark about what is happening on the border.

The pollsters asked: “How many border crossings by illegal immigrants do you think are occurring each year?” They were then given several ranges of numbers to choose from. Now remember, the correct answer for fiscal year 2022 is nearly 3 million. 

Sixteen percent guessed that less than 100,000 illegal border crossers entered the United States in a year. Another 21% estimated that somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000 entered the U.S. Another 18% guessed between 250,000 and 500,000. And then 20% guessed between 500,000 and 1 million.

After that, 12% estimated between 1 million and 2 million cross in a year. And then 6% said between 2 million and 3 million. Finally, 7% said the number was over 3 million.

Remember again that the correct answer is about 3 million. All told, 87% of those surveyed underestimated the number of illegal border crossers each year. Significant groups of Americans really underestimated the number – about one-third believed fewer than 250,000 crossers are coming each year, which is a remarkably uninformed opinion. More than half believe less than 500,000 are coming, another remarkably uninformed opinion.

How is it that so many people are so ignorant of what is happening? Might the answer have something to do with the fact that so many news organizations have ignored the problem? Ignore the story and you’ll have ignorant viewers.

The information deficit among so many Americans favors the Biden administration. If more people knew the true scope of the problem the president’s policies have created, then more would likely be concerned, and more would oppose the administration’s actions. Indeed, the Harvard-Harris pollsters, once they informed respondents of the correct answer, asked, “Given these numbers, should the administration continue its current policies or issue new, stricter policies to reduce the flow of people coming across the border?” Sixty-seven percent of those polled favored new, stricter policies, while just 33% wanted to continue current policies.

If more people knew what was happening, more people would demand change.


Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. 

COPYRIGHT 2022 BYRON YORK 

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KathyJ
KathyJ
1 year ago

Pay attention and you would know what is going on in this country.

Jeri
Jeri
1 year ago

I asked a question about the safety of camping and campgrounds in southern Texas due to the news. One Texas native responded that I needed to find another news source as there are zero problems in Texas…really?

Aaf Schafer
Aaf Schafer
1 year ago

The MSM is the propaganda for the current administration. All according to plan.

Gabe hanzeli Kent wa
Gabe hanzeli Kent wa
1 year ago

You’re probably correct that we don’t know how bad the border problem is.

Liberals / progressives / democrats don’t because they conscientiously work to believe the democrat lies.

The independents don’t know becuase the media lies about the problem and works at ignoring it.

Most conservatives don’t know becuase of the media.

That is how the democrats get away with most of their crap. The public doesn’t know just how much the democrats are lying to them.

Folks there is a reason biden has been stopped by the Supreme Court more then any prior president. Everything his does is illegal.

Liz
Liz
1 year ago

Can someone explain why this border invasion is not against US Immigration Law?
Why can theses illegals be refused admittance to the US? And how can we deport them all?

James P.
James P.
1 year ago

America-hating Joe’s traitorous legacy after 4 years: 10 million illegal aliens. What a debacle our left leaning neighbors have wrought.

Irv C
Irv C
1 year ago

biden is obviously destroying America yet he continues unchecked. If this were the awesome President Trump he would be arrested for treason. This guy is NOT a commander and chief. He’s a total traitor and or a total moron. America!! Stop this idiot.

Paul W
Paul W
1 year ago

We’re not talking about “illegal immigration”. We’re talking about completely unvetted, federal lawbreaking INVADERS from 150+ countries. History has shown them to be drug smugglers, child traffickers, human traffickers, terrorists, gang members and other types of violent felons. They have killed God knows how many innocent Americans and they shouldn’t have been here to begin with! Thanks to this regime, we have millions more than we did less than two years ago and they’re treated far better than homeless vets. Additionally, this regime has deliberately sacrificed (sabotaged) national security; their aiding and abetting these invaders and that is TREASON. Yet…there has been, and will be, ZERO accountability…guaranteed.

Barrett Smith
Barrett Smith
1 year ago

I read that it is predicted that by the end of biden’s term, 12 million illegals will have entered this country.

Felix
Felix
1 year ago

Fox news is not the only news station reporting this. Newsmax and Real America’s Voice (RAV) are a lot more on the case then Fox. I used to be a Fox News viewer, but in the last year or more I have been disappointed in them not reporting all the news conservatives need to hear and spinning the news with a left leaning spin. AMAC and other conservative venues should recognize Newsmax and RAV for their hard reporting of conservative values. More people need to support them for the hard work they do!

Patricia A Arsenault
Patricia A Arsenault
1 year ago

ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE COMING OVER WITH EVERY OTHER DISEASE YOU CAN THINK OF, NOT JUST THE COVID! #AmericaFirst

granky
granky
1 year ago

People in Texas know. In the past 100 years the hispanic population of Texas has grown from 10% to over 40% making them the largest demographic group in the state……..and the democrats love it. Texas has 55 electoral votes, only takes 270 to win the presidency. Now you know why they don’t see a problem at the border.

Jim
Jim
1 year ago

Progressive Liberals could care less, until they get a DICTATOR COUNTRY Enforced.

DenvilleSr
DenvilleSr
1 year ago

Lack of reporting on the illegal alien invasion resulted in New Yorkers being incensed that Governor Abbot was sending illegals to Manhattan. They had no idea of the actual numbers crossing the southern border. They thought it was a problem in border states only. They don’t know that the Biden administration flies them to the NYC area. They still don’t know that the number of illegals coming here this year exceeds the populations of 10 individual states. They don’t know about gotaways, i.e., those who don’t surrender to border agents. The New York Times might as well be set up in the offices of the DNC. Their moto should be “All the news that fits our agenda.” Of course, you can say the same thing about CNN, CNBC, the Gannett newspapers, the major networks, etc.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
1 year ago

Other outlets: IE NBC ABC CBS dont cover it like Fox & Yes Ive contacted NewsMax for more coverage on border

mytake
mytake
1 year ago

You have to pay attention and you MUST research for the honest news media. You cannot listen to the cable news or any large networks who are owned by the same company. It takes a Little extra time to find the truth but well worth the effort. Unfortunately, if you rely on any of the MSM you are not getting correct information and are being spoonfed only what they choose for you.

Fred Noel
Fred Noel
1 year ago

Does anyone have any idea what the Democrats and the deal’s endgame is? I can’t think of a single thing that good about these illegal aliens coming in illegally by the millions. It’s seems to be part of George Soros plan destroy America. I believe that the Mexican Drug Cartels are funneling money back to Washington D.C. politicians, that’s why they refuse to stop the smuggling of drugs and human trafficking.

Dan W.
Dan W.
1 year ago

What a mess. Governor Abbott is doing his best but he needs help.

Isn’t funny that when we have a natural disaster such as a Florida hurricane the Feds, businesses and public utilities come running to help but with this economic/policy immigration disaster, everyone is running away ?

GrammyK
GrammyK
1 year ago

I agree that the media has the responsibility to report the truth about the border crisis and all the other important things the American people should know about. But they don’t, and they mislead by their silence every day. We need to hold them responsible! Their bipartisan reporting is dangerous and unforgivable!

Moses
Moses
1 year ago

So we can pretty much say that Americans are ignorant. Anyone below age 45 were raised in fatherless homes, had teachers that are out of touch with a working America, don’t care anything about your kids and were over half of the Black Lives Matter movement. Anyone that wants to know about the border can watch Fox or News Max, they just don’t really care about what is going on in the country. These folks all are attached to a cell phone so the idea that they don’t know what’s going is ridicules. They just don’t care. Republicans aren’t much better, they did nothing to secure our voting procedures for honest elections, and then are shocked that the Red Wave didn’t come. At this point I would say we pretty much deserve what we get. And just when you think things can’t get any worse I suspect that they will.

Rabi
Rabi
1 year ago

Well wake up America we are being overrun, say goodbye to prosperity pay your taxes to support all these people illegally in America welcome to the new socialist country of United States of America.

teresa Ann d'alessandro
teresa Ann d'alessandro
1 year ago

these people choose not to know! when you try to tell these lack of common sense people they just put their hand up and shoo you away! they say the news is just trying to scare you. can you say dumb

BAE
BAE
1 year ago

Just how bad does our border have to get? Our politicans are useless. The democrats are the worst. How do they sleep at night. The taxpayers want the border fixed. FIX IT!

Lyn
Lyn
1 year ago

The correct number of illegals need to be in all the news every day,period

Frank
Frank
1 year ago

Please to only ones that don’t know are the ones that ignore it because they don’t care. The others are the ones that created it and just plain avoid the question.

Randall L. Beatty
Randall L. Beatty
1 year ago

It is time we have people in Washington with a backbone to do something so far no one in The White House does nothing a so called gutless president and his so called VP sit on the behinds do nothing and that is just a start up in Washington we will see what happens next year this country is over run with drugs and illegals time to shut down that border once and for all not just talk do something to protect this country and the people here. The media is full of liars to the people of this country they cannot be trusted any more.

Max
Max
1 year ago

Overall — TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!

David Millikan
David Millikan
1 year ago

Unfortunately, too many watch FAKE News including Local News channels which ALL of them are doing a disservice including Social Media by not telling the
TRUTH to the American people by
Protecting the LIE from the White House.
It is in the interest of FAKE News and White House to Push FANTASY WORLD narrative
since All they do is LIE.

Michael Leiws
Michael Leiws
1 year ago

So why do we continue to give media corporations, that are not doing their job of educating the American public, exemptions from Federal Campaign laws? Why don’t we demand they lose their special 1st Amendment privileges or that the same privileges be restored to the American electorate?

Is it because of the new branch of law, and government bureaucracy that have grown up around these unequally applied laws? Is it because monied interests (Blackrock and Vanguard) have purchased most of the world’s media corporations to facilitate corporate global governance and socialism?

Wake up fellow citizens. The media own the megaphones and ma, and pa are handicapped by regulations.

Cuate
Cuate
1 year ago

The beginning of the end of this great county destroyed by the leaders of United States, there will be
a 3rd world war and USA will be distroyed from with in, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS,NBC are the ones
whom will blame other for their lies…….

John Schaeffer
John Schaeffer
1 year ago

It’s sad that our country has become socialist under Biden’s rule. His ties with our enemy, China, has weakened our country economically and militarily. We won’t survive another war.

Rich
Rich
1 year ago

What a tragedy in human lives that is ignored by the socialist/democrats. In my own city that has declared itself to be a “sanctuary city”, there are weekly bus loads of immigrants coming from who knows where. The state and cities cannot support the influx financially and are now asking the news media to run spots to ask the citizens to send financial aid to help the crisis. Ignorant politicians that support the socialist narrative are finding things are a little harder to cope with when it affects them and not just someone else. The socialist/democrats OWN this crisis and will pay dearly in the near future. Pray hard folks. The truth will prove the corruption and will shake this nation. Only God can save us, and HE will.

Mario Capparuccini
Mario Capparuccini
1 year ago

A people so willfully uninformed does not deserve the gift of freedom. If people are too stupid, and too lazy to make the effort to inform themselves by accessing reliable sources, then they will not continue as a free people.

fpatriot
fpatriot
1 year ago

So sad that most people don’t pay attention to what Bidum and his socialist left is doing to America. They will when it hits them in their bank account and their freedoms are gone but it will be too late then.
250K/yr used to be the legal quota before Democraps raised it to 1 Million/yr. Now Bidum illegally allows as many illegals to enter America as can walk across the Rio Grande and that is 3 to 5 million. Does anyone realize this is more than most large cities. Citizens complain there is not enough housing, food, water, heat, transportation, private space and crime and inflation is too high. Just wait until the effect of these staggering numbers of illegals is realized. Of course it will be too late then.
America is fast becoming a banana republic and 3rd world nation.
And the only reason is, Dems will allow illegals to vote guaranteeing a Dem majority forever.

NewDay
NewDay
1 year ago

They don’t want people to know. The media is silent but when Trump was President the news cameras were down there checking every little thing to find fault. Since biden has created a dangerous and disastorous border the media is now very quiet.

Kim
Kim
1 year ago

The open border is a tragedy in the making every single day biden is president. I know many disagree, but biden is a textbook case for term limits. If we had them, he wouldn’t be president.

Laura
Laura
1 year ago

These people coming in at the border are bringing in more cases of covid 19 as well as drugs and human/sex trafficking. Congress must do something about this mess!

Joel
Joel
1 year ago

Add “no information” to misinformation, disinformation and false information..

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