Former President Trump declared the Mexican border a "war zone" under President Biden, lamenting the lack of cooperation from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and ripping Democratic governors of border states as the migrant deluge pivots to their lands.
During an exclusive "Hannity" interview at the border in Eagle Pass, Texas – where the former president toured earlier in the day while President Biden met with officials in the much quieter border confines of Brownsville – host Sean Hannity warned any of the unaccounted-for migrants could be plotting "the next 9/11 or worse."
Trump entertained the notion, citing thousands of migrants who have arrived from U.S. rival nations like Iran, China, Russia and Afghanistan.
"We have a lot coming in from Iran," he said. "We have a lot coming in from places we're fighting right now."
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He burnished his terror-fighting credentials, citing the killings of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Qassem Soleimani during his term, while adding that the U.S. border has itself become like a battlefield.
"And Mexico is doing nothing to help us. They're letting the caravans come unimpeded… something has to be done," Trump said.
He also appeared to respond to advocates' claims many migrants are family units seeking refuge and a better life from war-torn countries, pointing out instead that many of the thousands of Chinese migrants crossing into the San Diego Sector are "all [of] fighting age."
"You don't see women, and you don't see men much older than that. It's from 18 to 25 [or] 26 years old," Trump said, further claiming many migrants are coming from Yemen amid active tensions in the Red Sea, and that migrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo are largely coming from that country's prisons.
"The only good thing is it makes our prisoners look like very nice people, I'll tell you, because these are rough people that are coming in," he said.
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Trump told Hannity he believes migrants are being treated better by the government than U.S. veterans, saying many vets have been faced with lengthy waits for health care, while migrants get treated for "free."
"If you come in illegally into our country, you get things and this is why they're coming: The incentive is so great," he stressed.
Trump also contrasted Texas' response under GOP Gov. Greg Abbott with the remaining border states which have Democratic governors.
In particular, he called out California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, saying Newsom has done a "terrible job" as millions of migrants ingress and numerous citizen residents egress.
He called Arizona a "problem" in terms of the border, and characterized Hobbs as "very liberal."
Trump did, however, offer praise for one high-profile Democratic official: New York Mayor Eric Adams – whom he said is "trying" to handle the migrant surge which has strained city resources and led to a crime wave.
"He wants to do a job but it's just impossible," Trump said of Adams, who was recently rebuffed by his own Democratic supermajority city council after he signaled a willingness to slacken New York City's "sanctuary" policies and cooperate more with ICE.
Adams was promptly slapped down by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, D-Jamaica, who called the mayor's consideration "harmful" and said the chamber – which her party controls 45-6 – will not be making legislative changes.
During his remarks at the border earlier Thursday, Trump accused Biden of liability for violent migrant crimes, saying "Crooked Joe has the blood of countless innocent victims [on his hands]."
