Retired Immigration and Naturalization Service special agent Michael Cutler tells
Newsmax TV that Texas' Operation Drawbridge looks good, but he wants to know what the federal government is doing with captured illegal immigrants.
Operation Drawbridge uses wildlife motion-detection cameras to monitor illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. Relevant images are then followed up by law enforcement officials.
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According to a recent report released by
the Texas Department of Public Safety, the cameras have captured images of immigrants crossing the border with drugs and guns.
The report also revealed that the program has aided in apprehending 29,300 individuals and 88,400 pounds of drugs in 2014.
Cutler told J.D. Hayworth on "America's Forum" on Monday that "the numbers look good," but that he does have some concerns.
"I'm concerned about two things — No. 1, if Texas cracks down, [the illegal immigrant criminals are] simply going to move the activity to the other states along the U.S.-Mexican border," the former INS agent said.
"Problem two, what is the border patrol doing with the [illegal immigrants] who are being brought to them?" he asked. "All too often, this administration has this policy of cutting aliens loose here illegally, even aliens with criminal histories."
While Cutler says that he commends "the state of Texas because they're desperate" and "want the federal government to live up to its obligation," there are still a lot of questions about what happens once the federal government takes over.
"My question is, what then happens to these aliens when the border patrol gets hold of them? Are they going to do what they've done in the past? Drive them to a bus station?"
"We have to come back to the federal government's failures. I commend Texas, but the focus needs to be on this administration and on the federal responsibility," Cutler said.