CNN works hard at being reputable. I think the programming is a little slower paced generally than other cable news networks, but, it is perfectly reputable. The result totals in the elections were occasionally ahead of other networks. I watched the election returns across a few stations and CNN was trying it's best to please the visuals of "white men" in their reporting of the election. There was nothing wrong with their reporting, it was as accurate with factual information than any other network.
In the case of Trump, he simply won't admit he has a bigoted view of the world. It is uncertain how many people from the Northern Triad will make it to the USA border, but, if it is significantly higher numbers than usual arrivals, the Border Patrol could use some help.
What the President should be doing is using factual statistics to back up any actions he takes along the border. There is evidence of the use of force by the Border Patrol, but, that is in response to assaults by illegal border crossings. The accomplishments in reducing drug traffic by the Border Patrol is admirable.
In FY17, (click here) CBP recorded the lowest level of illegal cross-border migration on record, as measured by apprehensions along the border and inadmissible encounters at U.S. ports of entry.
CBP recorded 310,531 apprehensions by U.S. Border Patrol agents and 216,370 inadmissible cases by CBP officers in FY17, a 23.7 percent decline over the previous year. Illegal migration along the Southwest border declined sharply from Jan. 21 through April, which was the month with the lowest border enforcement activity on record.
This reflects the Administration’s commitment to enforce the rule of law as directed in the President’s executive order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, issued Jan. 25.
In May however, CBP began to see a month-over-month increase in apprehensions and inadmissible cases along the Southwest border, notably of children either as part of a family unit or unaccompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
By the end of the year, family-unit apprehensions and inadmissible cases reached 104,997 along the Southwest border. Another 48,681 unaccompanied children were apprehended or determined to be inadmissible.
CBP continues to be concerned about the steady increase in the flow of unaccompanied children and family units from Central America, as transnational criminal organizations continue to exploit legal and policy loopholes to help illegal aliens gain entry and automatic release into the interior of the country....'
Homeland Security needs to make itself more clear as to the policies and loopholes they refer to in their report. Catch and release, when done well, is an effective and humane method of handling border crossings. Homeland Security may not like it, but, it is a legitimate method of processing border crossings. Because the President may complain and not like it also doesn't mean it is not effective or humane. There are issues of human rights the Border Patrol cannot ignore that is part of policy because we are the USA.
For God Sake, children are children and do the Border Patrol or the President stop to think about the children that do make it to border rather than being kidnapped, incorporated into cartels as child soldiers or simply die in the process of coming to the USA border?
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 536 illegal aliens who were affiliated with a gang, including,
228 MS-13;
66 Surenos;
53 Paisas;
and 61 18th Street gang members.
CBP law enforcement personnel also played a critical counter-narcotics role, resulting in the seizure of more than 2.14 million pounds of narcotics and the disruption of more than 81,000 pounds of narcotics in FY17.
CBP seized:
1.59 million pounds of marijuana;
273,580 pounds cocaine;
66,617 pounds of methamphetamine;
5,760 pounds of heroin;
and 1,485 pounds of fentanyl.
While most illicit drug smuggling attempts occur along the Southwest border, CBP has seen a growing threat of illicit synthetic drugs smuggled to the U.S. through the international mail and express consignment carrier (ECC) environment. Several types of illicit synthetic drugs also called “designer drugs,” are being sold and shipped to end users in the U.S., including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, synthetic cannabinoids, and synthetic cathinones, commonly known as “bath salts.”...
No American wants these drugs in the USA. The Border Patrol is no different than any other law enforcement in that it faces danger on a regular basis. I think what bothers Trump about the crossings is the fact these folks are ruining his policy directives. It looks good to be able to cut foreign aid and at the same time have improving statistics at the border, but, that didn't happen the way he thought it would, so he demonized the migrants.
...In FY17, approximately 58 percent of U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions were individuals from countries other than Mexico—predominately individuals from Central America—up from 54 percent last year. Of the 310,531 apprehensions nationwide, 303,916 were along the Southwest border. Of those along the Southwest border, 162,891 were from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Another 127,938 were from Mexico. Of those apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol, 10 percent had been apprehended at least one other occasion in FY17, down from 12 percent in FY16. This is also known as recidivism....
The Northern Triad is a known issue. The USA provides foreign aid to help those three countries rise above poverty and instill an economy that works to employ the people and provide for increases in quality of life. When that foreign aid stops, there are consequences. That is why there are more young men this time than ever before.
When President Trump's policies don't work he demonizes the issue and leaves it up to the low or NO information voter to hate the media that says otherwise. President Trump cheapens his presidency when stooping to insults at a news conference. But, that is what his base likes to see. He really has no tolerance for the media at all.
I would like to point to a fact I am sure President Trump would like everyone to ignore. In FY 2017, there was a total of 303,916 reported crossings. Of those 408 were known gang members. The number of known gang members crossing the USA border is less than 1 percent and slightly more than .1 percent. That is an extremely small number and the President exploits the reality and makes it sound as though there are many, many more gang members crossing the USA borders. That is a mistake on his part as the facts are plainly obvious. When those 408 gang members cross without detection and then kill Americans it makes the entire issue explode. We know how we feel about one American death and that adds to the dynamic the president exploits.
The border patrol is doing a great job. It is unfortunate our military have to leave their families to participate in what is a Trump policy failure.
I think President Trump needs to make peace with the media. I am sure they have very good constructive criticism that will minimize the radical reactions to the hate speech used by President Trump in his rallies and that can't be anything but a good thing. He won the Senate, that is what he wanted.
