Daily Caller
‘It Was Unprecedented’: Retired Border Patrol Chief Blows Whistle On How Biden Admin Hid Migrant Crisis
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
“There was a gag order put on us literally within minutes of the Biden administration taking office”
Retired Border Patrol chief Rodney Scott blew the whistle to the Daily Caller News Foundation on how the Biden-Harris administration allegedly went to great lengths to hide the immigration crisis from the public, just days after a sector chief made similar claims.
Aaron Heitke, a former chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector, testified before a House committee on Sept. 18 and claimed that the White House ordered agents to hide information on arrests of special interest aliens (SIAs), move masses of illegal migrants out of sight of the press and give other instructions to disguise the true level of the border crisis. Scott, who led Border Patrol from roughly the last year of the Trump administration to the first seven months of the Biden administration, told the DCNF he was given similar orders.
“There was a gag order put on us literally within minutes of the Biden administration taking office,” Scott told the DCNF.
“The chief of staff for Customs and Border Protection, when she arrived, one of her first orders was to forbid us from talking to the public, or doing press releases, or doing media without the White House clearing our statements,” Scott continued. “Not only were they not cleared, when they finally did give us talking points, they weren’t even accurate. They weren’t truthful.”
Scott’s tenure as Border Patrol leader overlapped with Vice President Kamala Harris’ assignment to address the root causes of illegal immigration from Central America. The retired chief confirmed to the DCNF that Harris never once spoke to him, even after her designation as “border czar.”
Having worked in Border Patrol since the early 1990s, Scott has experienced multiple changes in the administration. The longtime officer said higher-ups clamping down on communication to the public was nothing new, but the sheer level of control handed down by the Biden-Harris administration was nothing he had experienced before.
“No press conferences were approved, all border tours were shut down,” Scott said. “It was unprecedented. I’ve never seen a gag order that tight.”
Scott’s comments to the DCNF follow the testimony given by Heitke, where the former San Diego sector chief agent said he was prohibited from talking about the rising number of SIAs — migrants who potentially pose a national security risk to the U.S. — unlawfully crossing the border.
“Prior to this administration, the San Diego sector averaged 10–15 SIAs per year,” Heitke told the House Homeland Committee. “Once word was out that the border was far easier to cross, San Diego went to over 100 SIAs in 2022, way over 100 SIAs in 2023 and more than that this year.”
“These are only the ones we caught. At the time, I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIAs or mention any of the arrests,” he continued. “The administration was trying to convince the public that there was no threat at the border.”
Heitke also went into detail about the alleged steps the Biden-Harris administration would take to hide masses of migrants from reporters, accusing the White House of portraying “fiction” to the public.
“Each time we asked for help in dealing with a new issue, it fell on deaf ears,” Heitke said. “At times in San Diego, we had 2,000 or more aliens sitting in between the fences asking to turn themselves in. I was told to move them out of sight of the media.”
This is not the first time agents have accused the Biden-Harris administration of intentionally trying to cover up the extent of the border crisis from the media. Ahead of Harris’ first trip to the border in El Paso, Texas, in 2021, administration officials gave explicit instructions to clear the area of migrants in order to put on a “show” for the vice president, according to Border Patrol sources who spoke to the New York Post.
While an executive order issued by President Joe Biden in June led to a steady decline in illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, his administration had overseen a major wave of illegal immigration into the country after issuing a slate of executive orders that largely dismantled the Trump administration’s border agenda.
Border Patrol agents have encountered more than seven million migrants illegally crossing into the U.S. since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, according to the latest data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The massive wave of illegal migration has strained the resources of major sanctuary cities such as New York City and Chicago, but also smaller towns in the country’s heartland such as Springfield, Ohio.
Scott commended his former colleague for speaking out, noting that doing so puts his ability to make an income at risk. Many retired agents don’t speak out because companies and other private contractors that work with the federal government want to avoid the publicity that can come with working with or hiring whistleblowers, according to the retired Border Patrol chief.
“I think it’s very problematic that the administration is trying to hide so much relevant information from the public,” Scott said. “I’m very, very grateful that Chief Heitke stepped up and decided to share that information with the public because that really hurts his ability to get contract jobs in the future.”
“[Heitke is] not only taking a risk, he’s knowingly cutting his family’s income by standing up for what’s right,” he continued.
The Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
Daily Caller
‘You Have No Idea What You Have Unleashed’: Erika Kirk Addresses Supporters For First Time Since Kirk’s Assassination
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
By Hailey Gomez
Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, addressed supporters Friday evening for the first time since her husband’s assassination, saying that her late husband’s movement will “never surrender.”
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Wednesday while debating students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Speaking for the first time since the fatal attack, Erika Kirk thanked those who have supported her and her late husband, including both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as well as other officials.
“I honestly have no idea what any of this means. I know that God does, but I don’t. But Charlie, baby, I know you do too. So does our Lord. And our world is filled with evil, but our God, you guys, our God is so good, so incredibly good. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” Erika said. “Already, I have seen the worldwide outpouring of love for my husband. I’ve heard the testimonies from people my husband inspired to get married, to start families, to seek out a relationship with God. It’s the most important, most important one of all.”
“The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done. They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith, and of God’s merciful love. They should all know this,” Erika added. “If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world. You have no idea. You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”
Kirk, who regularly spoke at college campuses to debate students on their political beliefs, made his latest stop in Utah, with videos online showing the campus packed with attendees. About 20 minutes into speaking with students, a shot rang out through the crowd, hitting Kirk.
WATCH:
Security rushed the TPUSA founder to the hospital, where he was initially reported to be in stable condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
After a nearly two-day manhunt, authorities announced Friday that Kirk’s suspected killer 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was officially arrested after a family friend reported Robinson to authorities Thursday evening.
Officials said bullet casings from the rifle that was used contained a series of phrases such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this you are gay LMAO.” A third bullet casing also had the engraving of ““bella ciao,” which matches an Italian song name that became a left-wing anthem during World War II.
Erika Kirk went on to say that she refuses to let the movement of TPUSA “die,” adding she will make sure it becomes “stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever.”
“And I love knowing that one of his, one of his mottos was never surrender. So I want to tell you that, that we’ll never surrender. We never will. Ever. Our campus tour this fall will continue. There will be even more tours in the years to come. America Fest here in Phoenix this December will go on. It will be greater than ever. The radio and podcast show that he was so proud of will go on,” Erika said. “And in a world filled with chaos, doubt, and uncertainty, my husband’s voice will remain. And it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever. And his wisdom will endure.”
“My favorite, my favorite too, but my husband’s favorite word in the English language was earn. He would call all of you to be people of action who earn the future America deserves. So to all of the young people who felt inspired by my husband’s faith and hard work, all of you already know what Charlie would want you to do,” Erika said.
Kirk’s wife told supporters to continue their on-campus involvement, attend the upcoming TPUSA events, and “most important of all,” get involved in a “Bible believing church.”
“Our battle is not simply a political one. Above all, it is spiritual. It is spiritual. The spiritual warfare is palpable,” Erika added.
WATCH:
Before ending, Erika Kirk recalled how her daughter asked where Kirk had been, telling her that he’s now “on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget.” She then thanked supporters once again, adding, “God bless you all, and God bless America.”
Since Kirk’s death, supporters, political figures and friends have spoken out, while some Democrats have openly cheered the loss of the TPUSA founder. Vance shared on X late Wednesday how Kirk had impacted life, recalling their friendship beginning in 2017.
Trump also expressed grief, writing on Truth Social that no one “understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.” By Thursday, Trump announced he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife Erika and his beautiful children. Fantastic people they are,” Trump said. “We miss him greatly. I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.”
Crime
Former NYPD Inspector Shares What Family Of Alleged Charlie Kirk Assassin Feared Before Turning Him In
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
Authorities identified the suspected shooter in Kirk’s assassination as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, after a family friend tipped off law enforcement Thursday evening. In an appearance on “Kudlow,” Mauro laid out what he called the timeline of the suspect’s escape and subsequent surrender.
“By the end of 9-11, the father has called a retired U.S. Marshal. This town down south, St. George, has a lot of retirees. It’s kind of a retirement community. He knew this guy. He calls that guy and tells him, ‘My son is the perpetrator,’” Mauro told Larry Kudlow. “Unclear if the son had admitted it or not. But apparently what was going on is that the family was concerned that if they didn’t turn him in, somebody else was going to, and it was a fear that they could be, as the police call it, a kinetic entry.”
Mauro said the family of the alleged Kirk assassin feared a violent confrontation if authorities discovered his location first, prompting them to arrange a peaceful surrender.
WATCH:
“That is to say, the cops come booming the doors, taking them in a rougher way, and maybe something goes sideways. The kid could get hurt or worse. So they wanted to prevent that. The family wanted to make sure that this was done orderly. They knew that the gig was up and that he was going to get arrested. They then went with either this second person, the retiree, or a minister. And a minister in Latter-day Saints is different from ministers that you and I think about.”
Mauro said the suspect’s family bypassed traditional law enforcement channels and brought him directly to the Washington County Jail.
“It’s a much more immediate relationship. Some sort of crew like this went to the sheriff’s office. And that’s why he was in the custody of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. That’s a jail. They run the jails,” Mauro said. “They went right to the jail, gave them up to the Washington County Sheriff. There must have been some connection there. Somebody knew somebody. They took him in. The sheriff notifies the task force, and you know the rest.”
Authorities say Robinson fatally shot Kirk as he spoke to students at Utah Valley University. After recognizing his son in photos released by investigators, Robinson’s father confronted the 22-year-old and alerted law enforcement, according to sources cited by the New York Post.
Robinson reportedly told his father he’d rather take his own life than surrender, according to the outlet. His father urged him to speak with their youth pastor, who happened to be affiliated with the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force.
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday that investigators discovered taunting and vulgar phrases etched onto the shell casings used in the shooting such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this you are gay LMAO.” Another inscription referenced “bella ciao,” a wartime Italian folk song later adopted by leftist resistance movements, according to George Mason University.
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