Senator Bill Hagerty talks border visit, Title 42

April 6, 2022

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Staff,

JACKSON, Tenn. — U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, along with several mayors and sheriffs across Tennessee, paid a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border.

This was due to the Biden administration planning to lift the pandemic border restriction at the end of May.

Hagerty says they stayed for three days and saw a humanitarian crisis.

“It is terribly sad to see unaccompanied minors coming across the border huddling under a bridge. People transiting for a month to two months trying to get to the border. It is dangerous,” he said.

Hagerty says according to Border Patrol officers, they are also arresting several criminals trying to come over the border.

“What they call higher value human cargo. These are people that are on terrorist watch lists, international criminals that are coming across the border. This is a massive national security crisis too,” he said.

Hagerty says the main issue that has emerged in states across the country, including Tennessee, is the rising fentanyl overdoses.

And he says those drugs continue to cross at the border.

“Title 42 is the one tool that the Border Patrol has left to turn people back. It is a public health tool that they use to turn people back if there is a public health concern. We have an epidemic in terms of drug overdose. I want the border agents to be able to turn back if they suspect illicit drug smuggling,” Hagerty said.

He says effects of losing Title 42 will be felt by Tennesseans.

“We are going to see another flood of drugs, another flood of crime, more gang members, more illegal aliens coming into our country at the border. Those people do not stay at the border. They move into the interior,” Hagerty said.

Hagerty says along with aiding in the ongoing war on drugs, the influx of immigrants allowed to come in will overwhelm Border Patrol officers.

“Turn our Border Patrol agents into nothing more than paperwork processors to facilitate a massive flood of illegal immigration, illicit drugs, and other illegal activities, gang activities, etc. that will be moving into our nation,” Hagerty said.

Hagerty says he is trying to get legislation passed currently to extend Title 42.

Those who visited the border include: