(Daily Signal)—President Joe Biden’s administration has set another record.
A total of 14,509 illegal aliens were encountered at the southern border Monday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Washington Examiner reported, a record for total daily encounters.
This number surpasses a record that was set just last week at a border that has become pure chaos in recent weeks.
“Migrant encounters at the border just hit the highest single day total ever recorded, & CBP has closed down multiple international railway crossings to redeploy personnel for migrant processing, leading to major disruptions in international commerce,” Fox News border reporter Bill Melugin wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
Here’s what it looks like.
BREAKING: Video from a contact on the ground in Eagle Pass, TX right now shows a mass of thousands of migrants waiting to be processed by Border Patrol after they crossed illegally today. I’ve spent hundreds of days there over the last 2+ years and I’ve never seen it like this. pic.twitter.com/JPNYY7sPxI
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) December 19, 2023
Many Border Patrol agents reportedly are calling it the “worst day they’ve ever seen.”
The pictures and videos are certainly shocking.
The current scene on the Eagle Pass border. I’ve never seen it like this @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/XPU1vpClYj
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) December 19, 2023
The only response from the Biden administration has been to say that the criticism just isn’t fair.
In response to questions Tuesday about the border, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that she and the president “take offense” to the idea that they aren’t serious about border enforcement.
Karine Jean-Pierre says she is offended when people say Biden isn't taking the border seriously — even as record numbers of illegal immigrants pour across the southern border pic.twitter.com/PNqpTPlfxA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 19, 2023
It’s the American people who should take offense. The White House should feel nothing but shame over its obvious unwillingness to do what must be done to enforce immigration laws and secure the border. At this point, it seems intentional.
For years, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been saying that the border is “secure,” despite record after record numbers of illegal aliens or illegal crossings being broken and broken again.
We are apparently supposed to just take the Biden administration’s word for it and shut up.
The record set Monday is just the latest reminder of the administration’s complete abandonment of duty.
From the moment Biden arrived in office in January 2021, this has been an unacceptable problem. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris said they would fix border security by fixing the root cause of illegal immigration, which they insist stems from economic problems in Central and South America.
How is that working out?
Biden, Harris, and Mayorkas haven’t solved anything, and the problem is getting worse here at home. The only thing they seem eager to do is squabble with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, about his attempts to seal the border while attacking the previous administration.
On the campaign trail, Biden routinely slammed then-President Donald Trump for his immigration policies, which led to record lows of illegal border crossings. Biden is still doing so, despite the obvious signs that his administration’s policies have failed the American people.
The failure is so acute that some Democrat governors and mayors increasingly grouse about the mess they‘re being left with.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson laughably blamed the Texas governor for the number of illegal immigrants showing up in his city.
The Democrat mayor of Chicago ran on a platform promising he'd make the city a home for the illegal criminals streaming across our border.
Brandon Johnson suddenly sounds different now that his city is going bankrupt and he's losing black voters. pic.twitter.com/jLOV6VWtLv
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) December 19, 2023
“The issue is not just how we respond in the city of Chicago, it’s the fact that we have a governor … that is placing families on buses … and then they come to the city of Chicago, where we have homelessness, we have mental health things that have been shut down, you have people seeking employment,” Johnson said.
What Johnson is saying is that blue state policies should be exclusively red state problems.
New York Mayor Eric Adams, another Democrat, at least acknowledged where this problem is coming from, even if he just wants voters to get off his back. He said at a briefing for reporters that New Yorkers need to go to “our center of government and raise our voices.”
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
Adams said that the problem with the crisis of illegal immigration that’s hitting the streets of his city doesn’t stem from New York but from “Washington, D.C.”
City Hall NYC
During a briefing, the NYC Mayor Eric Adams calls on New Yorkers to raise their voices at Washington DC to tell DC to help out with the migrant crisis. The mayor also states that people came up to him telling him they didn't know he couldn't stop migrants from… pic.twitter.com/AcuXS5RKAl— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) December 19, 2023
The mayor is right that New York doesn’t have the authority to deport illegal immigrants or the ability to solve this crisis, but the Big Apple also doesn’t deserve much sympathy. New York declared itself a “sanctuary city” long ago, and now it’s suffering the additional, well-deserved consequences.
Now that city schools and services are being overrun, New York’s Democrat mayor is being put in an uncomfortable position by angry constituents. And he should be.
Illegal immigrants from all over the world know that if they come to the United States, they may get detained by authorities but they also have an excellent chance to remain in this country regardless.
The Biden administration has made sure of that. U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement not only has been overwhelmed by the impossible task it has been given, its agents also have been maligned by the administration just for doing their jobs.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that any kind of crisis on the border will provoke Biden and company into adopting policies that actually slow down illegal immigration. They will continue insisting that their hands are tied unless Congress passes an amnesty bill and that this is not their fault.
We don’t have border enforcement anymore since Biden came in, not really. We have a border mob created by a dereliction of executive duty.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
