CNSI Statement on the Human Smuggling Tragedy in Texas

For Immediate Release

Contact: Anna Kumar
akumar@monumentadvocacy.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Council for National Security and Immigration (CNSI) Leader Julie Myers Wood today released the following statement on Monday’s tragedy in Texas in which at least 50 migrants were found dead in a tractor-trailer:

“The horrendous scene in San Antonio highlights once again the need for border reform, making border processing more effective and humane, and illegal and dangerous border crossings less frequent. The asylum claims process needs to be reformed so we can expeditiously accept or reject claims at legal ports of entry or nearby facilities, so trust in the system can be restored and people will not resort to paying human smugglers to enter the country.

“We must also ensure all the immigration agencies - including Customs and Border Protection - have the resources necessary to detect and intercept smugglers and rescue migrants in distress, including more personnel and state-of-the-art technology.

“The delays at points of entry on the border are causing migrants to find other ways into the United States, including by using human smugglers, which all too often leads to the kind of travesty we now mourn. To remain secure and protect the most vulnerable, we must get our own processes in order at the U.S.-Mexico border.”

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