Episodes
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A government surplus company called GovPlanet recently listed pieces of the border wall for auction. These auction posts, which have since been removed, fueled debates about why border wall materials weren’t set aside for future use or new construction.
President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to continue building the wall, publicly condemned the sales of unused pieces during a Monday press conference.
"I'm asking today, Joe Biden, to please stop selling the wall," Trump said. "The administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar, knowing that we're getting ready to put it up."
But the federal government is actually required to sell these excess pieces, and the process started months ago. The Department of Defense told media outlets that it must use, transfer, or donate all excess wall construction materials because of the National Defense Authorization Act.
The official said that the materials were divided up, with 60% going to authorized recipients like Texas, California, or U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The other 40% was sold to GovPlanet back in June, so the pieces that were up for auction no longer belong to the government.
The DoD says Texas did request some of those materials and later received them.
MORE: https://news4sanantonio.com/news/immigration-crisis-podcast/texas-hits-roadblock-in-plan-to-purchase-border-wall-parts-at-auction
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Are all migrants and asylum seekers who enter the US through the southern border really going north? We speak with Pamela Allen, the CEO of Eagle’s Flight Advocacy, who is experiencing a surge in families seeking essentials like diapers, food, and clothing, reflecting a possible shift in migration trends. Allen also tells us that there is concern about the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and their illegal activities here including human trafficking which she has seen firsthand. Adding to concerns is that the gang’s tentacles are now in at least 17 states.
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Yami Virgin investigates the state of immigration along the southern border as large migrant groups are expected ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s term. Over the past five months, border crossings have averaged 200-300 daily in the Del Rio area, with overall numbers declining since President Biden’s June executive order restricting asylum for unlawful crossings. These measures, paired with provisions for unaccompanied children and trafficking victims, have provided a reprieve for shelters like Mission Border Hope. On-the-ground insights and what lies ahead for migrants and those working at the border, as well as a generous gift from the Texas Land Commissioner for the incoming administration.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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We hear what the new Border Czar, Tom Homan, told soldiers and DPS troopers in Eagle Pass just before Thanksgiving. We also examine the new border buoys placed in the Rio Grande, which mysteriously disappeared shortly after their installation. Additionally, we question whether National Guard members are violating policy by using Pepper Ball Launchers on migrants, including families with babies and toddlers.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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A new command post has been built because of the shifting access points along the border between Texas and Mexico. We talk about renewed security concerns with individuals on the terror watch list caught crossing into Texas.
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The new Biden executive order is sending back thousands a day to Mexico. For many of those, the option is now to pay coyotes to sneak them into the US in dangerous situations.
We spoke to the Sheriff of Bexar County, which includes the city of San Antonio, about a recent trafficking incident that could have gone wrong. We also spoke to Craig Larrabee, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations out of San Antonio, about the role HSI takes when they respond to Human Trafficking cases.
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The immigration crisis at the Texas border will again be front and center in the news. One of the remote areas along the border that is extremely treacherous and has seen a number of migrants cross through it is Tarrell County. We spoke with the Sheriff of Tarrell County to get a better picture of what he has seen the last couple of months.
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Sheriff Thadeus Cleveland has the 10th largest county on the US-Mexico border. Up until a few months ago he only had 3 deputies. His jail can only house 7 inmates and all have to be of one gender since they cannot co-mingle. Cleveland tells us about the new Texas law that is now the hot potato making the rounds in the legal system to the Supreme Court and how it will affect his county.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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They are called “Tren de Aragua” a gang that is known throughout Latin America. The Venezuelan prison gang was mostly in Ecuador and Chile but with the migration pattern to the US now they are being seen here in the US. Who are they and just how violent can they be?
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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They are working a ridiculous amount of hours, but now they will be able to collect overtime pay. We speak with Congressman Henry Cuellar. And more money for border bridges to keep the flow of commerce coming into the US.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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How has Eagle Pass, population 35,000, handled hundreds of thousands of migrants being released in their city? We speak with Valeria Wheeler, the Executive Director of the migrant processing center Mission Border Hope. The non-profit continues to move migrants out of the border town with the help of the state of Texas busses. Wheeler also manages to feed migrants three meals a day during their stay with the organization. We ask how she manages the flow of migrants with no warning of what is coming.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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A report shows there are more than 170,000 migrants whom the US has no idea where they are. We speak with retired Homeland Security Investigations Agent in-charge Ari Jimenez as to how this has been allowed to happen.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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As the cartels diversify their money flow from drugs to human smuggling, they are also said to be using bombs and other weapons left behind in Afghanistan. We speak to the former head of Homeland Security Investigations Ari Jimenez about the new explosive situation.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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An exclusive ride-a-long with the Texas DPS Brush Unit. Lt. Noe Fernandez is our guide as they search for migrants that have entered under the radar, instead of presenting themselves to authorities seeking asylum. During the night we not only see the hard work, but we also see the emotional side of helping save migrants from the hands of gun-wielding Coyotes or smugglers.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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We sit down and have a very honest conversation with the retired Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in South Texas, Ari “Harry” Jimenez. Jimenez shares with us the reality that while there are recent reports of Lebanese, Syrians, and Iranians showing up at the border, this has been going on for years. Jimenez is also frank when we asked how concerned he is that there will be another 9/11.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The special session called by Governor Greg Abbott now includes border security issues. Among those who will be at the special session will be State Representative Eddie Morales, who represents the district that runs from Eagle Pass to El Paso. Morales speaks about the difficulties trying to find a solution to protect our border.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The surge is on and State Representative Eddie Morales, whose district goes from Eagle Pass, the epicenter for the immigration crisis, to El Paso, says Texas needs to think out of the box to deal with the problem. What’s his solution? Charge them $2,000.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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He has a $78 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, yet he can’t get a visa for his Venezuelan parents to come see him play. His attorney explains why her client's case is now being used as an example of why the Biden Administration’s humanitarian parole is needed for Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans and Nicaraguans. This while 21 states say this program is putting the responsibility of paying for them on their citizens.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Around 1,500 National Guard troops from Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Oklahoma are helping support Operation Lone Star in Texas. So the governors of those states were invited by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to see firsthand what their guard members have been doing. We caught up with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Oklahoma’s Governor Kevin Stitt during their tour in Eagle Pass, Texas.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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We speak with the first Democrat delegation to travel to Eagle Pass, Texas to see firsthand the governor’s actions to protect the border. Many Republican delegations have traveled to this area of the border in the past, so the trip by Democrats, led by San Antonio Representative Joaquin Castro, was long overdue according to some.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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