Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford credited the Trump administration with transforming the southern border in little more than three months compared to what he witnessed during four years under the Biden administration.
Among the most impressive improvements was the renewed morale among federal law enforcement officials tasked with policing the U.S.-Mexico border, Lankford told the Washington Examiner.
The officials now can focus on their primary duty of patrolling the border as opposed to transporting and watching over illegal immigrants in custody under former President Joe Biden. They also are better able to stop drugs from entering the U.S.
"It's pretty, pretty remarkable to see the morale and the attitude of federal law enforcement," Lankford, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told the media outlet. "It was striking, the difference talking to the folks at [Customs and Border Protection] and the folks at Border Patrol about what they're doing.
"I just can't begin to explain how much of a better place that they are in — the morale, how different it really is. They are in such a better spirit."
Lankford cited three other improvements concerning the border during a weekend trip to the San Diego border region:
- Special interest alien arrests are down.
- Drug smuggling is a top priority.
- Increase in smuggling through the ocean.
Special interest aliens are migrants who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially pose a national security risk to the U.S. or its interests.
In September 2024, former San Diego Border Patrol Chief Aaron Heitke testified that agents were intercepting immigrants from unusual countries not normally encountered trying to enter the country illegally.
He said agents apprehended more than 100 special interest migrants in 2022 and more in 2023 after just 10 to 15 special interest aliens per year under the first Trump administration.
Lankford also told the Examiner that facilities used to hold the tens of thousands migrants have been disbanded as border arrests have declined from more than 33,000 in March 2024 to less than 1,200 in March this year.
On Sunday, Lankford took to social media to post photos of his trip to the border.
"First stop in San Diego: meeting with Border Patrol. They've made 45,000 apprehensions from 147 countries, more than anywhere else in the United States. Thank you, @CBP, for being our first line of defense," Lankford posted on X.
Lankford also commented on the Coast Guard giving him a helicopter ride as migrants and human traffickers attempt to use the water to enter the U.S.
".@USCG was kind enough to take me on a helicopter ride to show me all the ways they are working to keep illegal immigrants from coming into our country via water. They are doing excellent work by coordinating with border patrol and DoD. Thank you for your service!" he posted on X.