The crisis at the nation's border with Mexico was "manmade" and "that man was (President) Joe Biden, and as a result, record amounts of fentanyl and other drugs are coming into the country and devastating the nation's communities, Sen. Rick Scott said Monday.
"He shut down finishing the wall, he didn't put the gates up, he shut down the technology, he didn't electrify the lights and cameras," the Florida Republican said on Fox Business' "Mornings With Maria." "Cartels now operate in our state. You look at these poor children and women who are being trafficked ... how can Joe Biden be doing this?"
Scott added that sheriffs in Florida are saying that there is now an "unbelievable amount of fentanyl overdoses" since Biden was elected, because of the amount of the drug coming across the "completely open" southern border
"There are some wonderful people who want to come to our country, but you should go through a legal process," Scott said. "We believe in legal immigration, but we also have people that aren't wonderful that are coming to our country. They are not here to do good for Americans. They are going to hurt us."
The senator also questioned why Biden won't visit the border.
"It's not that hard," he said. "I have been there twice in the last two years, to go down to see what is going on and let the press see what is going on. I don't get that he doesn't want people to know what is happening down there. Let's be honest with the American people."
The increased immigration issues are also keeping Border Patrol agents from doing their jobs to keep the United States safe, said Scott.
He added he doesn't know how Biden can say he is "okay with more fentanyl" coming into the country, considering he "had a family that actually dealt with drug abuse." The comment was an apparent reference to Biden's son, Hunter, who has a self-documented history of drug addiction. "This is horrible for this country," said Scott. "What Joe Biden is doing is disgusting."
Scott said that it will likely take a public outcry for Biden to take more action on the border.
"If the people will get up in arms and say 'Joe Biden, we want a secure border,' finally the Democrats and Biden would show up and do it," said Scott. "We've got to talk about the problems, talk about the impact in families, talk about children being dropped over the wall, talk about the fact that families are losing loved ones."
Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said he thinks the border issues will be a huge concern in the 2022 midterm elections, including for Rep. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who has voted three times against open security after his recent election.
"If you want to be self-serving Democrats and you want to get reelected, you won't get elected saying you want a secure border," Scott concluded.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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