Secretary Mayorkas visits Tucson, touting recent border enforcement success

TUCSON, Ariz. - Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas visited Arizona on Wednesday to discuss border enforcement efforts.

Border apprehensions have dropped 40% this month, and Mayorkas is crediting President Joe Biden's executive action limiting asylum requests for the drop in border crossings.

Mayorkas stopped in Tucson as part of an operational visit with Southwest border enforcement officials. The secretary says numbers are not only dropping in Tucson, but also across the U.S.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL REMARKS BY MAYORKAS

"Three weeks ago, in the face of Congressional inaction, President Biden used his executive authority and suspended the entry of non-citizens across the southern border. We are imposing stricter consequences for those who cross the border without authorization. These actions are changing the calculus for those considering crossing our border," Mayorkas said. 

He says there has been a more than 45% drop in U.S. Border Patrol encounters in Tucson.

He also denied recent reports that 400 people with ties to ISIS entered the U.S.

A June 4 statement from the White House reads, "President Biden believes we must secure our border. That is why today, he announced executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. These actions will be in effect when high levels of encounters at the Southern Border exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences, as is the case today. They will make it easier for immigration officers to remove those without a lawful basis to remain and reduce the burden on our Border Patrol agents."