Republican senator Ted Cruz is accusing the Biden administration of trying to obscure the “disaster” living conditions at Texas migrant facilities.
At a press conference with Republican Representatives Chip Roy and Nancy Mace in Laredo, Texas, on Wednesday, Cruz spoke to reporters about his observations while visiting the border and migrant detainment centers since the border crisis started. Referring to a facility in Donna, Texas, which he called a “giant tent city,” the senator described a claustrophobic environment that he suggested was a breeding ground for COVID transmission, Fox News reported. Thousands of migrants who illegally crossed the border into the United States have tested positive for COVID during processing, multiple outlets have reported.
“You had children packed in there. They weren’t six feet apart, as you would expect during a panic. They weren’t three feet apart. They weren’t three inches apart. They’re literally packed so close together that they’re side by side. There were no beds. There were no cots. There were no mats. They’re sleeping on the floor, children, wrapped up in reflective emergency blankets. They’re packed so tightly there’s no room to move. As I said at the time we were there, the rate of COVID positivity was over 10%,” Cruz said.
Amid reports of overcrowding and other poor conditions, Cruz claimed Biden prohibited media outlets from visiting or capturing evidence from inside Border Patrol facilities to hide the neglect from the public.
“Because the reason the administration didn’t want press there was they didn’t want anyone to know what was happening,” Cruz said. “Their hope was to cover it up. Their hope is that no one would see the disaster they were creating.”
The senator also said that Border Patrol agents he interacted with feel “frustrated” over the Biden administration’s refusal to take the border crisis and enforcement seriously, adding that he doesn’t know why these officers remain in the force and don’t resign amid the mayhem.
“Morale has never been lower than right now because the Biden administration won’t let ICE do its job,” he said.