The Daily Signal - #399: Obama’s Border Patrol Chief Explains Why Walls Work

Episode Date: February 17, 2019

On today’s podcast, we’re featuring an exclusive interview with Mark Morgan, former chief of the U.S. Border Patrol under President Barack Obama. Now he’s speaking out in favor of President Donald Trump’s border wall. Find out why on today’s show.Also on today’s show:• We’re celebrating President’s Day or what should rightfully be called George Washington’s birthday. Listen to a timeless speech from President Ronald Reagan on February 22, 1982.• Your letters to the editor. Next week your letter could be featured on our show; write us at [e-mail] or call 202-608-6205The Daily Signal podcast is available on the Ricochet Audio Network. You also can listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts.If you like what you hear, please leave a review or give us feedback. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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And I'm Rachel Del Judas. Today we're celebrating President's Day, or what should rightfully be called, George Washington's birthday. We'll explain why and play a timeless speech from President Ronald Reagan. But first, we have an exclusive interview with Mark Morgan. He's served as Chief of U.S. Border Patrol under President Obama. Now he's speaking out in favor of President Trump's border wall. Find out why next. We're joined on the Daily Signal podcast today by Mark Morgan.

He was chief of the U.S. Border Patrol during President Barack Obama's administration. Mark, thanks for being with us. Thanks for having me. Well, let's start with a simple question. Do walls work? Yes, walls absolutely work. But I think it's important when that question is asked, the response to that is walls work not by themselves, right?

They work as part of a multi-layer strategy of infrastructure, technology, and personnel. And when you have those three elements of that strategy and the right location, it absolutely works. Well, thank you for explaining that and putting it in context. I mean, we've heard all sorts of arguments recently against a border wall or any kind of physical barrier, frankly. And you're certainly in a position to know, given your past position, why they're effective. Why do you think then the country is so divided on this issue? Well, I think what I saw, the same reason why I finally decided to break my silence. I saw that there are people out there that are misinformed, kind of talking heads and pundits,

and they're giving false information out there and misinforming their American people. And unfortunately, I've come to collusion. I also believe that there are some folks out there that are intentionally not telling the truth, really, to serve a certain political ideology. And so I had to break my silence and try to get out there apolitical side based on experience and truth to say, yeah, well's work is part of that strategy. You've testified in Congress before. What was your message to them?

Same as it is now, right? Wall's work. They're not needed everywhere. They're not the end all to be all. They're not the sole factor that's going to stop all bad things and bad people, but they're still an integral part of that plan. I said it then, and I'm saying it now. I haven't changed.

Take us back and share with our listeners how you ended up as the chief of U.S. Border Patrol, obviously a background in the FBI. What has your experience been like? So it's been great. So I never thought I'd be able to do some of the things I did. But I did. I was actually a United States Marine as well. I did some time as a police officer, LAPD, and then I did two decades with the FBI.

And there's a couple of key things I'm really proud of in the FBI. Part of that, one is I led an MS-13 gang task force in Southern California. And I also served as the head of the El Paso office for two years. I always joke around, you know, from my front office I could see Juarez from the window. So, and then Chief of the United States Border Patrol. It ended quicker than I wanted to, but it was still a great experience. During your service, as Chief of U.S. Border Patrol, did you ever observe situations during your time there where our border security wall would have worked? Absolutely.

I mean, you got to remember. And this is another kind of false narrative, I think, that's out there. The Southwest border has 2,000 miles. Right now, only about 650 miles of that has any type of barrier. And a lot of that is old and inadequate barrier. So the most 65% of the border is still wide open. It doesn't have a physical barrier. It doesn't have enough technology or personnel to secure it.

So a lot. I visited 11 and 20 sectors when I was there. I saw a lot of wide open border. And now some of that space, there are geographic barriers themselves, right? Or the Rio Grande. There are a couple of situations, though. And we've told the story of San Diego working with the Border Patrol. El Paso is another one.

Can you speak to those specific examples and what the impact of a wall or a physical barrier was on those communities in terms of a reduction in crime or illegal immigration? Yes, I'll give you two actually real quick. So Yuma is just a clear example. So in Yuma, before they built the physical barrier, as well as technology and personnel in their area, 23 miles, 23 miles of physical barrier and personal technology, illegal immigration went from 140,000 to 15,000. Overall crime dramatically reduced. San Diego, again, when they built their physical barrier, actually they have tertiary, the secondary tertiary level in some areas, illegal immigration almost 100% went away. And you saw communities on both sides of the border that are thriving and out, again, because of that.

You recently said that you agree 100% with the president and what he's trying to do with the things related to border security. I'm wondering what kind of pushback you've faced, given your past position with the Border Patrol or your service under President Barack Obama. So to be honest, I've gotten very little. And I feel comfortable about that because I think everybody knows I'm speaking the truth. And here's the thing is when I say I support the president's plan. You know why I can say that 100%? Because I know the plan. Because I know the plan. It's not the president's plan. It came from the experts. It's their plan. So that's why I support him 100% because I know he's listened to the experts. I'm talking to the people

he's talking to. I know them. I know that this is the right thing because I was there and I know these experts. Looking at the past in 2006, then senators Obama, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer and 23 other Democrats voted in favor of the Secure Fence Act. It passed the Senate. It was signed by President George W. Bush. What has changed in the past decade? Yeah, we have a new president, Right? I mean, if you think about that, 2006, bipartisan secure fence act, if you look at the language of that bill, and that's what I encourage America, go back and look at the language. They talked about the same strategies that I'm talking about today, and both people on both sides of the aisle were saying how critical the barrier was. And let's go back to 2013. Don't forget, a bipartisan bill passed the Senate, which had $8 billion in that included for a physical barrier, right? So it wasn't immoral then. And it wasn't ineffective then. And in 2016, when I gave a testimony in front of Congress, nobody challenged me that the wall was ineffective or moral then. It was just the opposite.

And now, all of a sudden, it's different. Doesn't add up. President Trump has said that he is going to find a way to build a wall regardless of whether Congress gives him the funding that he's requesting. What are some of the other options that he has available to him to do that? So I think that's a great question. And unfortunately, I think he's, I think the president has no choice. I think this Congress has failed with this current bill and the president has no choice that he's got to do something else. And so I call it the three-tiered plan.

So you sign the bill, you reprogram funds, and you declare a national emergency. I really think they've left him no choice. This is what he has to do to secure the borders, to do what Congress didn't do. Finally, what is the most persuasive case that the president should be making for a border wall or physical barrier? Yeah, so how about read the indictment of the recently convicted leader of the cartel Chapo? I wish American people would go out and read that indictment. There's why we need the border security. That's why I need the wall.

Read that indictment. The cartels are alive and well. They own the complete southwest border, and they are poor and bad things and bad people in this country. The president right, he's right. We have to secure this border. Certainly a real life example right in front of us. Mark, thanks so much for joining the Daily Signal. Thank you both.

Do you have an opinion that you'd like to share? I'm Rob Blewey, editor-in-chief of The Daily Signal, and I'm inviting you to share your thoughts with us. Leave us a voicemail at 202-608-6205 or email us at letters at daily signal.com. Yours could be featured on the Daily Signal podcast. Thanks for sending us your letters to the editor. Each Monday, we feature some of our favorites,

both on this show and in our Morning Bell email newsletter. Rachel, what do we have? First, we want to share this voicemail from a listener. Hi there. My message to the daily signal. My name is Anne Sigorsi, and I do get your email. I am very impressed with the work you put out. I read your email today, the one that has the seven suggestions as to what the president should be speaking about.

I really, really appreciate it. It is most helpful. I wish to let's know how we can get our message across. To more people, let them know the difference. Thank you. Thank you. We need what you do very, very sadly. Like the air we breathe.

Thanks for leaving us that message, Ann. Up next, we have this note from Peter Raymond. He says, I long for the days when the news was on two times a day for a half an hour. Reporters reported the news. You never knew. their opinion or political party. There are no reporters left, just journalists who want to be the news.

While at the Daily Signal, we do our best to report the news. Whether you agree or disagree, we encourage you to send us a letter and tell us how we're doing. We do enjoy hearing from you. Your letter could be featured on next week's show. Send an email to Letters at DailySignal.com or leave a voicemail message at 202-605. Do you own an Alexa? You can now get the Daily Signal podcast every day as part of your daily flash briefing. It's easy to do.

Just open up your Alexa app, go to settings, and select Flash Briefing. From there, you can search for the Daily Signal podcast and add it to your flash briefing so you can stay up to date with the top news of the day that the liberal media isn't covering. Jantezer that your desk calendar or newspaper ad refers to today as President's Day. And although that's become a popular name for the federal holiday, it's not exactly accurate. That's right, Rob. Today should rightfully be called Washington's birthday

or George Washington Day. Here's a short explanation from Mount Vernon. In 1879, under President Rutherford B. Hayes, a federal holiday was created by Congress to commemorate the birth of the father of our country. George Washington's birthday was celebrated by federal workers in the district on February 22nd, until President Richard Nixon came up with a better idea

In 1971, he signed an executive order which moved Washington's birthday to the third Monday of every February. That way, the holiday would never fall on a weekend. But isn't that President's Day? Because the holiday occurs between Washington's birthday on the 22nd and Abraham Lincoln's birthday on the 12th, it is often referred to as President's Day to celebrate both historic figures. But that name is just a colloquialism. Officially and legally, the name of the Federal Holocle. is actually Washington's birthday.

So the next time you see a car or mattress commercial for a President's Day weekend sale, remember that you're really celebrating the birth of the father of our country. And don't forget George Washington's actual birthday, February 22nd. Well, Rachel, as a Virginian, we dedicate the entire month of February to Washington, and I wholeheartedly support it. I hope we can all return this day to its true meaning. I agree, Rob. We're going to leave you today with the words of President

Ronald Reagan on February 22nd, 1982, delivered at Mount Vernon, Washington's home. Enjoy. We're gathered on hallowed grounds to spare or share a special moment in our history. We come filled with pride and gratitude to honor George Washington, father of our country, knowing that because of what he did, we're free and we're Americans. 250 years after his birth, Washington star shines brighter than ever. Our cause is noble, he said. It is the cause of mankind. Pursuit of liberty and justice under God is still the most inspiring, the most successful, the most revolutionary idea the world has ever known. Words alone cannot express how much we revere this giant for freedom.

Yes, he is first in our hearts, and we'll be first for all time. What is Abraham Lincoln said, to add brightness to the sun or glory to the name of Washington is impossible. Let none attempt it. Pronounce the name and leave it shining on. 85 years later, Calvin Coolidge would say Washington's ways were the ways of truth. He built for eternity. his influence grows in action, in character. He stands alone.

If one word could describe all this man was and all he meant, it might be indispensable. Had he not lived, perhaps some other great leader would have appeared to liberate the colonies and establish our republic. We'll never know. We know only that Washington was there, that he did fulfill this destiny, and that he did it with such skill and perfection, he seemed to be carrying out a divine plan for America. Never a passive leader, never an armchair general. He was always in front of his troops and his nation. He did more than live up to the standards of the time.

He set them. Washington was gifted with the vision of the future. He dreamed America could be a great, prosperous, and peaceful nation stretching from ocean to ocean. He hoped the deliberations at Philadelphia would end with a declaration of our independence. He even designed and presented a drawing of the new American flag to Betsy Ross, 13 stripes, and a circle of white stars on a field of blue. When the war was going badly, his courage and leadership turned the tide of history our way. On our first Christmas as a nation, in 1776, he led his band of ragged citizen soldiers across the Delaware.

River through driving snow to a victory that saved the cause of American independence. Their route of March, it is said, was stained by bloody footprints, but their spirit did not fail. Their will could not be crushed. Washington kept them going. And with the help of France, they finally battled their way to Yorktown of the decisive victory that ended the war. After the revolution, he wanted to return here to Mount Vernon, to be with his family, to farm, to hunt, to engage in commerce. But he loved his country, and his country needed him. The 13 former colonies were impoverished.

They were bickering. They needed a constitution so that they could become a union of sovereign states joined to a central government. The American political experiment was new to all human experience, and the world expected us to fail. If Washington had not stepped forward again, and first at the Constitutional Convention, then as our first elected president, we might well have failed.

His feats were harvested from the seeds of exceptional character. He lacked higher education, but he pulled himself up with years of training and hard work. He was a man of deep faith who believed the pillars of society were religion, morality, and bonds of brotherhood between all citizens. It has been written that the most sublime figure in American history was, George Washington on his knees in the snow at Valley Forge. He personified a people who knew it was not enough to depend on their own courage and goodness. They must also seek help from God, their father and preserver.

Washington was so popular he could have been king had he wanted that, but he had no hunger for personal power. His love was liberty and his trust was in the people. He believed they're dependable and right-minded, and he believed that a leader's responsibility is to bring out their best qualities. Let us ask ourselves, are we keeping faith with his trust in us? The problems we face today don't require

the kind of sacrifices Washington and his men made that Christmas night in the Delaware, but they do require us to give and sustain our best effort. to believe in each other, to believe in the God who has blessed us, and will help us to rebuild our country. George Washington and his generation of Americans met their challenge. We can, we must, and we will, meet ours. To the students across America who are listening in today, if Washington seems much larger than life and makes you feel a little smaller, I'll let you with you.

in a secret, he makes us all feel that way. But you do matter a lot. I'm sure he would tell you the important thing is to find your goal and go for it. Then if you fail, and he himself failed many times, pick yourselves up and try again. Remember, our problems are also our opportunities. You can take us to new frontiers in space. Find medical cures for deadly diseases. discover technological breakthroughs, develop better ways to grow food, provide shelter, and produce energy. The world's hope is still America's future.

America's future is in your dreams. Make them come true. The only limits are your imagination and your determination. The story is told that one night at dinner here at Mount Vernon, Lafayette said to Washington, General you Americans, even in war and desperate times, have a superb spirit. You're happy and you're confident. Why is it?

And Washington answered, there is freedom, there is space for a man to be alone and think, and there are friends who owe each other nothing but affection. We still have that in America. As Americans, let us all rededicate ourselves to the ideals that George Washington said. Let us give of ourselves so that when our time is through, history may say of us what Thomas and Jefferson said of him. Their integrity was the most pure and their justice the most inflexible we have ever known. They were in every sense of the word, a wise and a great people. Well, I believe we still are.

And because I believe in you, I believe we will be tomorrow. God bless America and thank you very much that will do it for today the Daily Signal podcast is broadcast from the Robert H. Bruce Radio Studio at the Heritage Foundation you can find it on the Rikishay

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