Chris T. Clem, former Chief Border Patrol Agent of the Yuma Sector, said border policies that do not detain or remove migrants offer cartels easier ways to smuggle drugs and people, making profits along the way. Clem testified at a House Oversight Committee hearing titled "The Border Crisis: the Cost of Chaos" on Sept. 21.
"Anytime there is limited consequences of detention or removal, even returning to Mexico, it incentivizes more people to make the dangerous journey and exposes them to the exploitative nature of the cartels," Clem said in his testimony.
Cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border exploit and mistreat migrants, turning their vulnerabilities into business opportunities. Migrants are often subjected to extortion, violence, and forced labor, and face threats of being handed over to criminal groups if they cannot pay large sums of money.
According to a study conducted by the Latin American Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, an estimated 60% of migrant children are either captives of cartels or those involved in human trafficking or child pornography.
The Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force reported human smugglers, or coyotes, have come under the control of cartels, who charge fees up to $60,000 for safe passage across the border. Those who cannot pay are often kidnapped, abused, or forced into labor once they are in the U.S.
"Without border security, our agents, our community, the migrants, and our country are vulnerable," Clem said.
Clem suggested border security legislation should be brought forward as a stand-alone bill, rather than attached to other national security issues.
Clem supports resuming Border Wall Construction, and "fully implementing the Migrant Protection Protocol (AKA Remain in Mexico)."
Chris T. Clem is a retired Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol with 28 years of experience along the Southwest border. He served under five presidential administrations, overseeing border security operations in various sectors including Yuma, Arizona, before retiring.
