Border crisis’ public awareness is growing, Gen. Jack Keane says
Institute for the Study of War Chairman General Jack Keane said the American public’s awareness of the humanitarian migrant crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border is escalating.
“There are criminals there, there are drug traffickers there, there are human traffickers there… and there are a lot of people who are not going to commit crime, who just want a better way of life… we have to take a comprehensive approach to this," he said during an interview with FOX Business’ Trish Regan on Wednesday.
Keane described the lucrative business of illegal human trafficking that in some cases provides transportation for migrants.
“With the busses, that’s the smugglers and the drug cartels organizing that. They pick [migrants] up, when they come across into Mexico, [from the Guatemalan border] drive them all the way up to our border—it’s a lucrative business. They get five- to eight-thousand dollars a head,” Keane said. “They are making millions and millions of dollars a year just on the transportation of the migrants. Drug cartels are moving drugs in and around them as well—another business taking place—a very serious problem.”
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The retired four star general also called on Democrats and Republicans to visit the southern border.
“I would recommend to the Congressional leaders to get down there themselves,” Keane said. “They draw attention with them. [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell…Lindsey Graham could hold a hearing at border, as well as the Chairman of the Homeland Security committee [Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.)]…It creates public awareness.”