Numbers USA has claimed that McAleenan “is using Pres. Trump’s recent executive order as an excuse for reinstating “catch-and-release.” While Numbers USA is not without its own controversy, its assessment of McAleenan’s statements to a Senate panel in late May appear to be rock solid:
“Limited detention space, and further cuts to detention space and enforcement efforts by Congress in the last DHS spending bill, along with a massive border surge, have somewhat hampered Pres. Trump’s ability to end catch-and-release. However, the Administration’s inability to end certain policies that are contributing to the ongoing surge are also to blame.”
To agents, the appointment of McAleenan is an obvious obstacle to ending certain policies such as “catch and release.”
Where are agents to go?
With a keen understanding that the Democratic Party will never support a candidate that supports Border Patrol, agents are at a loss if Trump ignores their wishes and moves forward with a permanent appointment of McAleenan.
With his surging popularity, Trump may not think he needs the support of the agents. However, if it were not for the images captured by Border Patrol cameras of masses of illegal aliens crossing over the porous southern border, and endless stories of the humanitarian efforts by Border Patrol agents and National Guard units, Trump might not be enjoying that popularity surge.
A thin sliver of hope still remains that Trump will have the backs of the men and women who have our nation’s back. As the agents see it; Trump has a choice and they hope he makes the right one.